Indonesia confident of hosting a good Asian Games in 2018

Indonesia are confident of putting up a superb Asian Games show in 2018, said Rita Subowo, president of the Indonesian Olympic Committee here Sunday.

A day after getting the nod for hosting 2018 Asian Games from the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) general assembly, Rita Subowo said Indonesia will work hard for the Games, reports Xinhua.

"We are looking forward to modernising the existing venues with modern ways now, and willing to get the support from friends of OCA and former Asian Games host cities. So, we have the confidence in preparing for it," said Subowo.

The OCA general assembly Saturday approved Indonesia as hosts for the 2018 Asian Games, five months after original hosts Vietnam backed out due to financial difficulties.

"Our nation is happy with this achievement, but we have to work hard, starting from yesterday, to fulfill all requirements," said Subowo.

"We are not going to build many venues because the time is too short, but we will use existing ones, including some big exhibition centres. The new airport will be finished in 2017, and everything will be in place by 2018," she added.

Vietnam was originally picked to host the 18th Games in 2019, but withdrew, blaming an economic crisis. Indonesia immediately said it would be "proud" to step up.

The OCA initially scheduled the event for 2019 to make it one year before the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. But Jakarta told the OCA that if they were to host the Asiad, usually a quadrennial tournament, it would have to be a year earlier, in 2018, because presidential elections were scheduled for 2019. Indonesia staged the Asian Games once before, in Jakarta in 1962.