Not only will hosting the 2014 Incheon Summer Asian Games bring economic benefits to the city but other advantages are expected, too.
Incheon, 37 kilometers west of Seoul, was selected as the venue of Asia’s quadrennial sports event on April 14 in Kuwait, holding off the other contender New Delhi, which was all-out to hold the Asian Games.
It is the third time for a South Korean city to host the Asian Games after Seoul in 1986 and in Pusan in 2002.
Despite the relatively slow start, Incheon secured the bid with thorough preparation and innovative ideas.
Through the Asian Games, Incheon with a population of around 2.6 million, is expected to upgrade its economy, sports in Korea and in Asia, and emerge as an international city.
And if the National Assembly passes a bill to support the city, its infrastructure including subways, roads and communication networks will be expanded, and the brand value of Incheon will increase, enabling it to induce international investments in the Incheon Free Economic Zone located in Songdo, Yongjong Island and Chongla.
With the image of an international city with one of Northeast Asia’s major airports and the confidence of hosting the big-scaled sports festival, Incheon, which has been overshadowed by its neighboring city Seoul, will be able to take off.
For this reason, many countries are pursuing to host international sports competitions.
For example, the United States, Japan, India, Qatar and Italy are all competing for the Summer Olympics in 2016.
``If preparing for the Asian Games goes well and making they make the most of it, Incheon will be able to embed its future-oriented image with a hub airport in Northeast Asia,’’ said an official of Incheon Metropolitan City.
Last March, Daegu was chosen to hold the 2011 International Associations of Athletics Federations (IAAF) World Championships in Athletics, which is one of the world’s big three sports events along with the World Cup and the Summer Olympics.
With the athletics meet in South Korea, hosting the Asian Games in 2014 will motivate the sinking reputation of South Korean sports to improve it on the world stage.
Thanks to the 1986 Asian Games and 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korean athletics could improve and through the Korea-Japan World Cup in 2002 and the Daegu Summer Universiade in 2003, South Korea ushered in a ``Golden Era’’.
Since then, no international sport contest to has taken place and as a result, South Korea has suffered from an erosion of competitive athletes.
Worse still, PyeongChang failed to host the Winter Olympics in 2010.
Former IOC vice president Kim Un-yong tendered his resignation over the setback and the other IOC members Lee Kun-hee, chairman of Samsung Group, and Park Yong-sung, chairman of Doosan Group, also did not take active roles due to business scandals.
After Daegu became the host for the World Athletics Championships in 2011 and Incheon the venue for the Asian Games in 2014, the prospects for South Korean athletics seems bright.
Meanwhile, Yu Kyung-sun, vice president of the Korean Olympic Committee, became the chairman of the Sports & Environment Committee in the OCA.
With him taking the post, South Korea is likely to have more influence on the world stage.
As Incheon succeeded in opening the Asian Games, one of the South Korean city’s pledges ``Vision 2014’’ is expected to help Asian sports evolve.
The Vision 2014 is a program which provides support in the form of professional personnel and equipment to countries that have not been able to win many medals in the history of the Asian Games.
To conduct this program, Incheon Metropolitan City plans to collect $20 million (18 billion won) from its budget and financial support from companies.
Late last year, Incheon city signed a sponsorship contract with Shinhan Bank and has already acquired $15 million for the program.
Although no specific plan has been decided yet, it is reported that dispatching sports instructors and gear, and creating a youth programs and sports academy are included in the program.
Incheon was reportedly asked to support 20 countries during its bidding campaign.
Vietnam wants its men’s and women’s football teams to train in South Korea.
Tajikistan wants a subsidy to renovate its tennis courts and Bangladesh hopes Incheon will send its boxing trainers.
Along with Vision 2014, Incheon plans to spend some of the money from the sponsorship deal on OCA’s program aiding minor powers in Asian sports.
The city believes that its tie with the OCA will improve with the assistance.
``Although there is some criticisms around, the fund will help Asian sports develop,’’ said a member of the bidding committee.
(Source: koreatimes.co.kr)
