ANOC and NOC Indonesia Strengthen Collaboration ahead of ANOC World Beach Games Bali 2023
The Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) and the Indonesia National Olympic Committee (NOC Indonesia) have strengthened their collaboration ahead of the ANOC World Beach Games to be held in Bali in 2023. A senior ANOC delegation led by ANOC Executive Council Member and Chair of the ANOC Events Commission, Timothy Fok, and ANOC Secretary General Gunilla Lindberg, conducted a five-day visit to Bali as both organizations continue their intensive dialogue to ensure the best delivery of the world’s most prestigious beach and water multi-sport event.
During the visit on July 7-12, the delegation discussed the composition of the Games Master Plan including an assessment of potential venues for Bali 2023, such as Kuta, Nusa Dua, Garuda Wisnu Kencana, and Sanur areas. They also identified accommodation options, medical facilities, the Opening Ceremony venue and the main transport lines. The delegation met with Bali Governor Wayan Koster who expressed the province’s complete support for the Games, which he believes will promote sport among the island’s young people, and offered all the necessary infrastructure and public services to ensure the event’s success.
All parties involved in the delivery of the Games reiterated their commitment to ensuring sustainability was embedded into the delivery of the Games. The Games plan will aim to minimize carbon emissions and implement sustainable initiatives such as reef restoration projects and plastic collection initiatives. ANOC also met with the Organizing Committee to validate the Games preparation procedures which will be sent to the NOCs for their planning for 2023, and prepared for the International Federations (IFs) Technical Delegates meeting at the end of September 2022, by which time, the venues will be approved.
“It is an honour for us to welcome the delegation of ANOC to Bali, the host of the 2023 ANOC World Beach Games. It is the second visit of the ANOC delegation to Indonesia and we want to maximize the recent visit to finalize the preparation for the event. I assure you that Indonesia will work to be the best ANOC World Beach Games.” said Chairman of NOC Indonesia, Raja Sapta Oktohari.
ANOC Secretary General Gunilla Lindberg added:
“We have enjoyed a very productive visit here in Bali and Jakarta and we look forward to continuing this excellent collaboration with our Indonesian partners in the months ahead. We have no doubt that Bali 2023 will be an excellent Games and its beautiful and world-famous beaches will provide the ultimate setting for spectacular sporting competition. Working closely with NOC Indonesia, we will ensure NOCs and their athletes have the best possible conditions in 2023.”
Along with Ms. Lindberg and Mr. Fok, the ANOC delegation was formed of Technical Director Haider Farman, Project Director Emilie Robert, International Relations Gustavo Harada, and ANOC World Beach Games Project Manager Andres Santi. Following their visit to Bali, they flew to Jakarta to meet with the Minister of State-owned Enterprises and IOC Member, Erick Thohir, Minister of Youth and Sports, Zainudin Amali, and Vice Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy Angela Tanoesoedibjo. The Ministers reiterated their commitment and readiness to support the ANOC World Beach Games Bali 2023 to ensure it will run successfully.
The delegation received a warm welcome from Chairman Oktohari, who was accompanied by NOC Indonesia Executive Committee member Rafiq Hakim Radinal, along with key officials; Vice-Secretary General, Daniel Loy, Member of Culture and Education Commission, Ricard Sam Bera, and International Relations Directors Cresida Mariska and Lilla Horvath.
“We had a wonderful site visit in Bali. We hope to intensify our communications to finalise the preparations for Bali 2023. It is in line with the message from Indonesia President, Joko Widodo, to bring more international events to Indonesia and this is exactly what we are doing,” Chairman Oktohari added. “It is hoped that Bali 2023 will continue the success story of this year’s G20 summit, with Indonesia as the host country. I believe the event will help the sports sector contribute to the recovery of Indonesia’s economy and tourism, post the COVID-19 pandemic.”.
Bali is the second host of the ANOC World Beach Games, following the first edition held in Doha, the capital city of Qatar, in 2019. More than 1,200 athletes from 97 countries took part in the inaugural event. A similar number of participants and NOCs are expected to take part in Bali next year.
Bali 2023 will see athletes compete in 10 sports of the core program – aquathlon, beach handball, beach soccer, beach tennis, 4×4 beach volleyball, beach water polo, beach wrestling, karate’s individual kata event, kite boarding, and 5km open water swimming- as well as two additional sports proposed by the Organizing Committee and two others by ANOC.
