ASTANA — The Kazakh capital will host the sixth Continental Athletes’ Forum of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) as part of the Olympic Solidarity program between Sept. 2–3, according to the National Olympic Committee’s press service.
Photo credit: olympic.kz
This forum is a key platform for dialogue among athletes across the continent, focusing on sports development, the promotion of Olympic values, and the protection of athletes’ interests. The event will bring together over 120 participants, including representatives of 45 Asian National Olympic Committees, delegates from the International Olympic Committee (IOC), and OCA leadership.
The program features panel discussions, working groups, workshops, and open dialogues with speakers. A symbolic Fun Run will also take place in Astana’s Central Park to support the upcoming Aichi–Nagoya 2026 Asian Games.
The session will bring together senior representatives of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), and Kazakhstan’s National Olympic Committee (NOC). Among them are leaders of the IOC Athletes’ Commission, managers responsible for Olympic Solidarity programs that fund athlete development, and prominent former athletes now serving in athlete commissions.
Key topics include scholarship opportunities for athletes, updates on global IOC support initiatives, and the role of athlete commissions in shaping Olympic policy. Representatives of the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games Organizing Committee (AINAGOC) and the Aichi–Nagoya 2026 organizers will also share progress on the upcoming Asian Games.
Olympic medalists are also set to participate, including Yunjong Won (South Korea, bobsleigh), Rohullah Nikpai (Afghanistan, taekwondo), Mavzuna Chorieva (Tajikistan, boxing), Mohammad Bagheri (Iran, taekwondo), Takuya Haneda (Japan, canoe slalom), and Chanatip Sonkham (Thailand, taekwondo).
The forum is expected to generate new recommendations and initiatives to improve conditions for athletes across Asia and strengthen their role in advancing the Olympic movement in the region.
