.jpg)
KABUL (SW): First batch of 120 Afghan athletes departed for Turkmenistan on Thursday to take part in the 2017 Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games.
Munawar Shah Shahzad, spokesman for the National Olympic Committee (NOC) told Salam Watandar these male and female players from various sports federation left Kabul for Ashgabat today. The batch comprised of players who would compete in taekwondo, basketball, futsal, muay thai, jiu-jitsu, chess, cycling and weight-lifting competitions.
Shahzad said the players would be accompanied by coaches, managers and other supporting staff.
According to the Afghanistan Physical Fitness Federation, all players from Afghanistan participating in the 2017 Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games would depart via two charter flights.
These games would commence on September 17 and would conclude on September 27.
The 2017 Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games opening ceremony will take place on Sunday, 17 September 2017. The ceremony will be held at the newly built Olympic Stadium in Ashgabat. All 45 member countries of the Olympic Council of Asia are invited to compete at these Games. The participating nations would compete in 21 disciplines.
President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani has announced attractive incentives for the Afghan athletes set to compete in the forthcoming 2017 Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games, which are also counted as the 5th Asian Indoor Games to be held in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan later this month. According to the National Olympic Committee, the government has announced to award cash prizes to the athletes who manage to win medals at the AIMA Games. Winner of the gold medal would be awarded cash prize of AFN 670,000, for silver medal AFN 335,000 while for bronze medalists AFN 201,000.
ENDS
