NZ primed for Asian voyage

Barry Maister. Photo / Kenny Rodger

Barry Maister can see the day when New Zealand is part of the Asian Games - and it may be sooner than thought.

The outgoing secretary-general of the NZOC can see some advantages and says they would "move heaven and earth to facilitate it".

"If a sport saw it as a vehicle for competition at the right time of the cycle, we would be very much in favour of trying to help them," says Maister. "There is undoubtedly a real plus in multisport Games.

"With the Olympics being as big and high-pressure as it is we would welcome the opportunity for certain sports to experience village life, the mixing with other athletes, the way the events are run and the total distraction that happens in a multisport Games - that is why the Commonwealth Games are good, though not all sports are there."

Maister suggests that some sports may even be interested in the next Asian Games in 2014.

"I suspect in the lead-up to Rio [2016 Olympics], golf will be looking at opportunities and may even be looking at multi-sport Games opportunities - the Asian Games could be of definite interest to our golfing fraternity."

The Asian Games began in 1951 with seven sports and 18 countries; the recent edition in Guangzhou saw 41 sports (including every Olympic discipline) and 45 countries. Just like the Commonwealth Games, standards vary. Athletics and cycling are fairly weak, swimming is also below par while others are world class.

The Asian Games will change rotation from 2019 - occurring a year after the Commonwealth Games; making it an even more attractive proposition for certain sports, especially non-Commonwealth disciplines that want competition outside the Olympic cycle.

There seems a strong case for gymnastics, badminton, diving, table tennis, shooting, taekwondo, karate and judo (world class across Asia) to profit from the competition, especially with China.

Australia has twice applied - unsuccessfully - to enter the Asian Olympiad, in 2004 and 2006. It is believed opposition mainly came from the Middle Eastern countries, among which there is some residual bitterness over Australia joining the Asian Football Confederation, essentially taking one of the World Cup spots.

But regional heavyweight China is said to be in favour, keen on a powerful rival while the tide is shifting within the Asian Olympic council.

"If we can come up with a formula where Australia and New Zealand are part of the Asian Games and it doesn't damage the 'five rings' and affect the smaller islands [of the Pacific], then why not?" said Husain Al Musallam, director general of the Olympic Council of Asia.

"We would like Australia and New Zealand, as they would add value and competitiveness. But we also have to respect Oceania. What would happen to sport in Fiji? What would happen to Samoa?"

OCA president Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah said that while Australia would "boost the quality of competition" they didn't want to "damage Oceania".