PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc on September 24 received President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Thomas Bach and President of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah on the occasion of their visits to Viet Nam to attend the fifth Asian Beach Games (ABG5) in the central city of Da Nang.

At these meetings, the PM thanked the IOC and the OCA for their support for Viet Nam’s sports over the recent years, adding that the Vietnamese Government is paying attention to developing sports and improving people’s lives through cultural exchanges between nations.

The nation’s sports are deeply integrating into the world’s sports and choosing suitable ways to exploit its advantages and limit its shortcomings, he said.

He suggested the IOC and OCA advocate Viet Nam in all fields for the development of its sports and deeper integration into the region and the world in the future.

IOC President Thomas Bach congratulated Viet Nam on winning the first gold medal at the Olympic Rio 2016, expecting that the successful organization of the ABG will contribute more to the development of the world’s sports.

He affirmed the commitments of the IOC and OCA for Viet Nam’s sports in the future.

OCA president Sheikh Ahmad Fahad Al-Sabah supposed that the success of the ABG 5 not only makes huge contribution to the development of sports but also helps Viet Nam and Da Nang City promote tourism.

The ABG 5 is underway from September 24 and will last till October 3 with the participation of more than 10,000 athletes from 40 nations and territories around the world.

Athletes joining the event compete in 14 sports with 22 events for 172 sets of medals.  

VGP