The Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) World Beach Games scheduled to be held in Bali next month have been canceled after the Indonesian city withdrew as hosts, giving the ANOC no time to find an alternative.
“It is with great surprise and extreme disappointment that ANOC has learned that the Indonesian Olympic Committee [KOI] has withdrawn from its commitment to host the ANOC World Beach Games and the ANOC General Assembly in August 2023,” it said on Tuesday.
Bali was set to host the second edition of the World Beach Games and the event included 14 sports such as beach soccer, beach volleyball and surfing.
Photo: EPA
“With the Games scheduled to take place in one month, the decision at such late notice prevents ANOC from being able to find an alternative host,” the body said.
“While there have been challenges in the Games preparations, as at any major multisport event, ANOC had been regularly assured by the KOI that solutions would be found and the Games would go ahead as planned,” it said.
KOI chairman Raja Sapta Oktohari said yesterday that the budget for the event had not been disbursed and said it withdrew from hosting the event because “it would be too risky.”
Indonesian Minister of Youth and Sports Dito Ariotedjo expressed regret for the cancelation and said the budgeting process was long.
He said that 446 billion rupiah (US$29.6 million) had been approved for the event, but was still being reviewed by the Indonesian Ministry of Finance.
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