The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) said on Friday that the 19th Asian Games scheduled to be held in China's Hangzhou from September 10 to 25, 2022, will be postponed.

"Following detailed discussions with the Chinese Olympic Committee (COC) and the Hangzhou Asian Games Organising Committee (HAGOC), the OCA Executive Board (EB) today decided to postpone the 19th Asian Games, which were scheduled to be held in Hangzhou, China, from 10 to 25 September 2022. The new dates of the 19th Asian Games will be agreed between the OCA, the COC and the HAGOC and announced in the near future," the OCA said in a statement.

The OCA praised the preparation work of the HAGOC and believes the Asian Games will be a "complete success through the joint efforts of all parties." Both the name and the emblem will remain unchanged for the 19th Games.

Moreover, the OCA announced the decision to cancel the third Asian Youth Games in the same statement.

"Additionally, the OCAEB also studied the situation of the 3rd Asian Youth Games, which was scheduled on 20-28 December this year in Shantou, China. After discussion with the COC and the Organising Committee, the OCA EB decided that as the Asian Youth Games had already been postponed once, the Asian Youth Games Shantou 2021 will be cancelled. The next Asian Youth Games will therefore be held in 2025 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan," the OCA said.

The OCA thanked Shantou Organising Committee for its efforts of preparing for the Asian Youth Games, calling it "beneficial" to the development of the city and the promotion of Olympic spirit in Asia.