Asian Olympic boss warns over sexual harassment at Asian Games

Asia’s Olympics chief pleaded for good behaviour at the Asian Games Friday, amid allegations of sexual harassment. Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) president Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah made the plea to the 13,000 athletes and officials at the Games, which takes place over two weeks in the Korean city of Incheon. This follows the expulsion of an Iranian team official on Wednesday for sexually harassing a female volunteer, and allegations that a Palestinian footballer groped a female worker.

I hope that over the next 16 days our athletes and you will participate with good will and (appropriate) behaviour

Al-Sabah, the president of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA

The Incheon Asian Games Organising Committee (IAGOC) has since put up strongly worded posters in Games accommodation, warning that harassment cases would be prosecuted under South Korean law. “Sexual violence is a serious crime that impoverishes the victim’s mind and mentality,” said the notices. Meanwhile, Indonesia is poised to host of the next Asian Games in 2018 after Vietnam withdrew because of financial concerns. The decision will be formally ratified at an OCA General Assembly in South Korea on Saturday. Hanoi was awarded the Games in November 2012 ahead of the Indonesian city of Surabaya but Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung pulled the plug, saying Vietnam was suffering from the effects of global recession and unable to foot the bill for facilities and venues.