The Asian Para Games which were postponed due to rising cases of COVID-19 in China have now been rescheduled for October 2023, the organizers announced on Wednesday. The Para Games will now be held from October 22 to 28 next year in Hangzhou. Notably, the prestigious event was scheduled to take place from October 9 to 15 this year but was postponed in May due to rising cases of coronavirus in the country.
The decision on the new dates came after discussions were held between HAPGOC, the National Paralympic Committee of China, the Asian Paralympic Committee, and other stakeholders.
“The Asian Paralympic Committee (APC) and HAPGOC, the local organising committee, today announced that the 4th edition of the Asian Para Games in Hangzhou, originally scheduled to be held in October this year, will now be held from October 22 to 28, 2023,” read the statement from APC.
The APC also informed that the duration of the games will remain unchanged as the stakeholders found it to be not clashing with any other event. Also, as Para Games are usually held two weeks after the close of the Asian Games, the new dates were agreed upon. Notably, the Olympic Council of Asia last month announced the new dates for the Asian Games, which will be now held from September 23 to October 8, 2023.
“We are happy to announce the new dates for the Asian Para Games, which were approved by the APC Executive Board. We would also like to thank HAPGOC (organisers), the Chinese Paralympic Committee and Hangzhou and Zhejiang provincial governments for their continuous support and efforts to ensure that the Games take place on the new dates,” APC President Majid Rashed said.
This is the second time China will host the Asian Para Games after the successful staging of the first edition of the Games, the Guangzhou 2010 APG.