Hong Kong's bid to host the 2006 Asian Games is under close scrutiny with the arrival of a four- member committee yesterday to assess the SAR's ability to stage an international sporting event.
The Olympic Council of Asia's Evaluation Committee - an advance assessment group that will make recommendations to the final voting board - is in Hong Kong following a visit to Malaysia, which is mounting its own bid to host the 2006 games.
During their three-day visit, the committee will assess the sports facilities and meet government officials, members of the bid committee, as well as community leaders and local sports representatives. The group will be taken on a helicopter tour so they can get an overall view of the various sites that will stage 30 different events, according to Tony Eason, head of Hong Kong's Asian Games bid team.
'We will try to anticipate what questions they might have,' Mr Eason said.
Four cities - Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), Doha (Qatar) and New Delhi (India) - are the contenders to host the games.
The assessment team will report their findings to the executive council of the OCA during the General Assembly in Pusan, South Korea, in November. During the meeting, the 44 members of the OCA board will select a venue by open vote.
