VietNamNet Bridge - The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Vietnam Olympic Committee on March 29 explained to the Government, the second time, the financial plan for the Asian Games, says Head of the Vietnam Sports and Physical Training Administration – Mr. Vuong Bich Thang.

The Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Hoang Tuan Anh at the first hearing on March 18.

According to Thang, in the hearing, many participants showed their concerns over the huge funding of US$150 million from the state budget for this event. "We have reviewed the plan thoughtfully and found that the project details and investment structure may be changed but the total investment of $150 million taken from the budget is fixed," Thang says.

He says that at the meeting, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam asked the plan makers to review the plan again and to maximally use the existing facilities to cut cost. "The Deputy Prime Minister did not propose to withdraw the proposal to host the Asian Games," Thang says.

However, the Government has not decided to host the Games because of worries over some issues, especially the funding.

The Government asked the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to meet with senior officials of the Olympic Committee of Asia (OCA) to seek support for Vietnam.

The Government also suggested not building the athlete village but using the available hotels.

Thang says 80 percent of the available sports facilities in Vietnam can serve the Asian Games.

According to the plan of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Vietnam will only upgrade the old works which cannot be used any more. For the new sports such as hockey and rugby, Vietnam will utilize the existing stadiums and repair the surface to fit these sports. To serve archery, Vietnam will also renovate the available sports centers in Hanoi.

The Vietnam Olympic Committee and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism may have to explain the financial plan for the Asian Games to the Government for the third time.

Hanoi won the right to host the 2019 Asian Games in the meeting of the OCA on August 11, 2012 in Macau. There were only two candidates. Hanoi won 29 votes, while Surabaya (Indonesia) received 14 votes.

Qatar spent $2.8 billion for the 2006 Asian Games. China also spent nearly $20 billion for the 2010 Asian Games. South Korea plans to pay $1.62 billion for the Asian Games in 2014. Therefore, the estimated funding of merely $150 million for the 2019 Asian Games in the scheme of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism is believed to be unrealistic.

Nam Nguyen