HARBIN - The 9th Asian Winter Games in Harbin will unite people again in sports against all odds to further promote the Asian Olympic movement, said Husain Al Musallam, director general of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA).

Since winning the bid for the Games in July 2023, Harbin's preparations have been in full swing. According to the organizers, over 1,200 athletes from 34 countries and regions across Asia will compete, making this edition the largest in terms of participating delegations and athletes.

"Harbin did a great job after taking the Games two years ago. The organizers prepared the facilities here and all the Games' requirements in a very short time and in a very professional way," said Al Musallam, expressing his belief that the Harbin Asian Winter Games, themed "Dream of Winter, Love among Asia," can unite people in sports regardless of the conflicts and uncertainties in the world.

He added, "The Harbin Asian Winter Games will be a platform for Asian athletes to get the qualifications for the Winter Olympics in different sports, which will prepare Asian athletes to perform and compete in a high standard for the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games."

Since the first edition of the Asian Winter Games in Sapporo in 1986, winter sports have been developing rapidly in Asia with wide public participation. "We are pleased that winter sports have become very popular in Asia, from the north and east to the south and west," Al Musallam remarked.

The 2029 Asian Winter Games will be held in Trojena of Saudi Arabia, marking the first time it is held in West Asia. "The Games to be held in Saudi Arabia will increase the popularity of winter sports, which will be one of the main attractions for tourism," Al Musallam noted.

Al Musallam was also impressed with the development of sports over decades, from the Beijing 1990 Asian Games to the Hangzhou Asiad in 2023, stating, "Everybody witnessed the new technologies utilized at the Hangzhou Asian Games."

Technologies including virtual reality and augmented reality will also be applied for Friday's opening ceremony of the Harbin Asian Winter Games.

The organizers revealed that, besides the main venue at the Harbin International Conference, Exhibition and Sports Center, there will be a branch venue for the opening ceremony at the Harbin Ice-Snow World, the world's largest ice-and-snow theme park.