On April 27, Beijing time, the Australian and New Zealand Sports Association confirmed: "Australia and New Zealand will not send athletes to the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games, because their sports organizations and athletes are not interested in participating in the Asian Games." As soon as the news came out, it immediately caused a bombardment from netizens: "Originally it did not belong to an Asian country, and no one welcomes you to come!" At the same time, the Australian football team has also been implicated, and it is said that it should withdraw from the AFC and not occupy Asian places.
As early as three years ago, at the invitation of the Chinese Asian Olympic Committee, the Australian and New Zealand Olympic Committees expressed their great willingness to participate in the Hangzhou Asian Games and would send about 300 athletes to attend. But now, less than 4 months before the Hangzhou Asian Games, Australia and New Zealand have suddenly changed their minds and will not send athletes to the Hangzhou Asian Games, on the grounds that there is no interest.
For Australia's shameful behavior, it was bombarded by netizens: "It is not a traditional Asian country, and no one welcomes you." "Love doesn't come, don't think of yourself as noble." "Invitation is a necessary process for the OCA, it is to give you face, don't feel that you can't do it without you." "I take myself too seriously!"
At the same time, the Australian football team was also implicated in this matter and was questioned to join the AFC only to qualify for the World Cup group.
Currently, the Australian men's soccer team FIFA is ranked 41st, and this men's soccer team, founded in 1921, originally belonged to the Oceania Football Association, having only reached the World Cup finals in 1974, and the first World Cup final tour of the Australian men's football team. Since then, it has missed the World Cup for 32 consecutive years. In the end, Australia joined the AFC in 2006, qualifying for the World Cup finals in the same year and achieving the round of 16, before making three consecutive World Cup finalists in 2010 2014 and 2018.
Objectively speaking, the Australian men's football team is indeed a strong team in Asia, with few opponents except Japan and South Korea, and won the Asian Cup in 2015. But in front of national teams such as Europe and the United States, Australia is only at a medium level, and it is difficult to achieve excellent results. Therefore, in addition to geographical factors, the biggest reason for Australia to join the AFC is to qualify for the World Cup finals.
The Hangzhou Asian Games will be held from September 10 to 25, 2022, and at present, all the teams are in intensive preparation, as the hegemon of the Asian Games, the Chinese delegation is strong. At the last Jakarta Asian Games, the Chinese delegation won an outstanding record of 132 gold, 92 silver and 65 bronze, ranking first in the gold medal table, Japan ranked second in 75 gold, 56 silver and 74 bronze, and the third was South Korea 49 gold, 58 silver and 70 bronze.
I look forward to the Chinese athletes of this Asian Games to create another good performance and climb the peak, and I also wish the Hangzhou Asian Games a successful convening.