For many Asian sports fans and Chinese people, 2022 is definitely a sports year, because on September 10 this year, we will host The Asian Games, Asia's top sports event, in Hangzhou, China! In less than 5 months, the Hangzhou Asian Games will open.
But at this critical point in time, Australia and New Zealand in Oceania are very disappointed, and the Australian and New Zealand Olympic Committee recently confirmed in an interview with Reuters that Australia and New Zealand will not send any athletes to the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games! The Australian side even said that all sports organizations are not interested in participating in the Asian Games!
Australia and New Zealand belong to Oceania, but over the years, Australia and New Zealand have been trying to integrate into Asia as much as possible in sports! Australia's three major balls in football and basketball are very strong, but they have always been at a disadvantage in the face of European opponents, especially in football, the World Preliminary Tournament only gives Oceania 0.5 places, after getting the first place in Oceania, Australia also has to compete with European opponents for places, in Europe Australia wants to enter the World Cup is very difficult, so they try to find a way to join Asia in football and basketball.
The reason why the AFC allowed Australia to join Asia was that after the Australian football was imported into Asia, the World Cup quota in Asia could be increased to 5, but after Australia was included in the AFC, the Asian quota did not increase, and Australian football was generally strong in Europe, but in the face of Asian opponents, they gave what they wanted, and Asian countries had one more strong opponent to divide the World Cup quota, and Australia could easily enter the World Cup.
In fact, this time to participate in the Hangzhou Asian Games, but also the Australian side first proposed, the Australian Olympic Committee President John Coates repeatedly said that Australia attaches great importance to the Asian Games, Oceania countries are also willing to participate in the Asian Games, 2019 The Olympic Council of Asia held a meeting to determine that athletes from Australia, New Zealand and other countries in Oceania are eligible to participate in some projects of the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games, including beach volleyball, basketball, football, fencing, indoor volleyball and other projects.
Australia and New Zealand were allowed to participate in the Hangzhou Asian Games, and Asian countries undoubtedly have a strong opponent at the Asian Games! But here Australia and New Zealand cried and shouted to participate in the Asian Games, the Asian Olympic Committee also passed their request, the Australian Olympic Committee side actually said that no athletes are willing to participate, the New Zealand Olympic Committee spokesperson also followed up with Australia, saying that New Zealand will not have athletes to participate in the Hangzhou Asian Games, the Asian Olympic Committee was undoubtedly released pigeons.
In fact, It is not surprising that Australia and New Zealand are unwilling to participate in the Asian Games, the Asian Games is the top comprehensive games in Asia after the Olympic Games, but the Asian Games are not linked to the World Cup and the Olympic Games and other world-class competitions, Australia and New Zealand are not profitable and early, and naturally do not want to participate in the Asian Games. And Australia's football and basketball in Asia can walk sideways, but not a sports power, multi-sport games they do not have any advantage, the number of medals in the previous Olympic Games Australia is not to say that compared with the Chinese delegation, and even by Japan for many years to suppress, so their interest in participating in the Asian Games is not high.
Without the drive of interests, Australia and New Zealand are reluctant to participate in the Asian Games, but also said that no one is interested in the Asian Games, but when their football and basketball suffer losses in Europe, it is Asia that takes them in, many domestic countries say that Australia and New Zealand do not send athletes to participate in the Hangzhou Asian Games, we do not welcome, there are also fans who suggest that Asia should drive out Australian football and basketball, let them compete with European teams.