The Sokha Phnom Penh Hotel has been chosen to host the OCA General Assembly on October 4 ©OCA

The National Olympic Committee of Cambodia (NOCC) has spoken of its confidence in successfully staging the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) General Assembly in Phnom Penh in October.

Cambodia has stepped in to host this year’s annual gathering of OCA officials following the postponement of the Hangzhou 2022 Asian Games.

Hangzhou in China was due to stage the General Assembly only for the Asian Games, which were originally scheduled to be held from September 10 to 25, to be postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Sokha Phnom Penh Hotel, located on the banks of the Mekong River, is now set to hold the OCA General Assembly on October 4, with the NOCC preparing to welcome 400 officials.

"We are very proud that the OCA is allowing us to host the General Assembly," said NOCC secretary general Vath Chamroeun.

The NOCC is fresh from hosting a Southeast Asian (SEA) Games Federation Council meeting, which it is claimed has helped preparations for the OCA General Assembly.

"We are receiving the full support of the OCA and we are preparing very well to promote Cambodia’s hosting of the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games and ASEAN [Association of Southeast Asian Nations] Para Games next year and also the Asian Youth Games in 2029," Chamroeun continued.

Phnom Penh staged this month's Southeast Asian Games Federation Council meeting ©SEAGF
Phnom Penh staged this month's Southeast Asian Games Federation Council meeting ©SEAGF

"The SEA Games Federation Council and ASEAN Para Games Council meetings were invaluable for us.

"We learned so much about hosting a big event from the point of view of accommodation, transportation, liaison officers, protocol and the work of our volunteers.

"Now we can look forward to the OCA General Assembly in October.

"It will be much bigger, with 400 participants from around the world, but we are ready to welcome all our guests and show them the warm hospitality of Cambodia.

"Our NOC President, Dr Thong Khon, is our Minister of Tourism, so he is very passionate about showing everyone a warm welcome and displaying the history and culture of Cambodia."

Cambodia is set to host the SEA Games for the first time from May 5 to 17 next year, followed by the ASEAN Para Games

Chamroeun said the OCA General Assembly would be a good opportunity to inform all the delegates about the upcoming SEA Games and seek their support for a successful hosting.

"We want to invite the IOC [International Olympic Committee] President Thomas Bach, and IOC members to attend the OCA General Assembly alongside our friends and colleagues from the OCA and all over the continent," added Chamroeun.

"We are very thankful for their encouragement of the NOCC and we want to present a good image of the Olympic movement in Cambodia and in the world."