The Asian Games athletes’ village is no place to drown sorrows over a losing race with a stiff drink.
Alcohol is banned from the village, and the Asian Daily quoted Min Fangda, chief Of the Village’s public order division, as saying: “We have seized hundreds of bottles of wine and liquor.”
He added, however: “We did not confiscate them. Instead, we stored them and Brave the owners a receipt so that they can have them back when they leave.
‘China melted 420 kilograms of gold to ‘mint 300,000 rings, necklaces and other souvenirs for the Asian Games valued at 100 million yuan (Rs 357 million approx.), The Asiad souvenir exhibition centre said it was the biggest amount of gold used for “a major social activity”, since the country turned communist in 1949. China’s former ‘emperors were known for their love of gold artifacts, some of which are on display in the Forbidden City in Beijing. This is the final instalment of Asiad Sidelights, These are some of the unusual happenings. A total of 5,231 athletes and officials from 36 countries have registered for the Asian Games as competitions got underway. Missing were Iraq, suspended by the ‘Olympic Council of Asia for its invasion of Kuwait, and Jordan, who officially pulled out for “financial reasons”. The biggest delegations were sent by China (674 athletes and officials) and South Korea (583), while the smallest came from Palestine, which sent two athletes and one official, Yemen have a 10yearold player in the Asian Games table tennis competition. Macao have a 60yearold shooter.
The table tennis player is Mohammed AlKhabash, entered in men’s team and singles competition, Mario Fatima Mendes, the shooter, is competing in the pistol events,
The nearly 4,700 athletes entered in the Games range in height from 1.23 metres (4 foot, 12 inch) Syed Kamal Masud, an 11yearold Pakistani swimmer, 102.31 metres (77) Li Myong Hun, a North Korean basketball player.
Masud also is the lightest athlete, at 25 kg (55 Ibs), Chinese weightlifter Cao Li weighs 156 kg (343 Ibs).
China has expressed its strong desire to host the 2000 Olympics. The Chinese desire and wish was conveyed by President Yang Shankun to IOC President Juan Antonin Sanerknchi here!
Article extracted from this publication >> October 19, 1990
