Kuwait City, Kuwait, August 29, 2023: The Olympic Council of Asia is committed to protecting all 12,400 athletes as well as the integrity of all 40 sports at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China.

This was the message from Tony Tarraf, OCA Head of Athletes Development Department and Special Projects, who was speaking at the OCA/IOC webinar on the Prevention of the Manipulation of Competitions on Tuesday, August 29.

Addressing more than 140 participants from 30 National Olympic Committees in the online meeting, Tarraf revealed the OCA was steadfast in its goal to ensure that the Hangzhou Asian Games would have a mechanism in place to protect athletes from competition manipulation.

"We are just 25 days away from the start of the Hangzhou Asian Games. This is a historic moment for it will be the first time that at an Asian Games, the OCA will have a mechanism in place to safeguard the integrity of sports and protect the athletes," Tarraf noted.

The Hangzhou Asian Games will be held from September 23 to October 8, and the OCA/IOC webinar on Tuesday was held to underscore the concerted move to have a competition manipulation-free Games.

"Our message to all Chefs de Mission at the Asian Games is to pass on what you have heard at this webinar to your delegation – that there is a reporting mechanism in place whereby anyone, athletes or officials can inform the OCA of any attempts to corrupt the competition," Tarraf said.

The OCA has been working on making the Hangzhou Asian Games a fair contest for all for more than two years – since May 2021 – by raising awareness and education among the NOCs on preventing competition manipulation. Any attempt to do so can be reported at the OCA hotline: reportmanipulation@ocasia.org. 

In summing up the webinar, the OCA official said: "I would like to say to all the NOCs, all the CDMs, everyone who is participating...we are not here to scare you but we are here to protect the Asian Games. We are here to protect sports, the integrity and to protect the athletes to compete fairly.

"So this is very important. It is your responsibility now to share the information with your delegation. Don't hesitate to visit the IOC booth or the OCA booth in the Asian Games Village. We will be there to support you."

Members of the International Olympic Committee's Olympic Movement PMC Unit, Evangelos Alexandrakis, Rida Ahmed and Aiden Young, also gave presentations during the two-hour long webinar, along with Interpol's Dieter Braekeveld.

Tarraf also disclosed the disciplinary process at the Hangzhou Games if an athlete was caught cheating, and outlined the due process including the sanctions he or she would face.

Apart from having a dedicated outlet at the Athletes Village for the Prevention of Competition Manipulation, the OCA will also have a safeguarding desk, with Tarraf as OCA Safeguarding Officer.