400,000 extra tickets to fill gaps

The Olympic Council of Asia yesterday announced an extra 400,000 tickets were being released for the Asian Games to help solve the problem of empty seats at some arenas.

The move follows concerns over a lack of spectator numbers at venues in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou, host of the 16th edition of the Games.

OCA president Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah told reporters that blocks of tickets had been sold to sponsors in the run-up to the event and many had remained unfilled due to lack of interest.

He said the OCA had been told that many people were looking for tickets to events and had discussed the issue with the local organisers.

“I hope this will be the solution to this issue. It is one which we will continue to watch,” he said.

But he said even at Olympic Games, not every venue was full for all sports. And insisted the people of the city were behind the event.

“I’m sure that the citizens of Guangzhou are very keen on these Games, very happy, good supporters and they are one of the main keys for the success of the Games.”

The president said up until now the “Games operation is going very smoothly”.

The OCA chief also defended the tight security measures in place, saying they were a necessity in the post 9/11 era.

Around 10,000 athletes from 45 countries and territories are vying for gold in 42 sports at the Asian Games, which run until November 27.