Ding Ning participates in the competition to become an Athletes Committee member representing the East Asian region. [Photo/China Daily]

The Olympic Council of Asia held the first press conference for the upcoming Asian Games in Hangzhou on Sept 18, unveiling the specifics and participation details of its first-ever Athletes Committee elections.

Olympic champion and Chinese table tennis player Ding Ning is running for a position.

The election will see over 12,000 athletes participating in the Hangzhou Asian Games electing 10 athletes to represent them and empower the future of Asian sports.

Vinod Kumar Tiwari, acting director-general of the OCA, expressed excitement about the upcoming Games. He noted that this year's edition will be the largest in the history of the Games and the first to be held since the pandemic.

The OCA has divided Asia into five regions: East Asia, West Asia, Central Asia, Southeast Asia, and South Asia. Each regional council member has recommended athlete candidates, forming a 26-member list. During this year's Asian Games, athletes can vote online using their valid identity registration cards to select 10 committee members.

The committee members won't be determined solely by the total number of votes. Instead, each region will select two members, and the highest-ranked male and female athletes from each region will be chosen. Voting begins on Sept 18 and ends on Oct 6, with the results to be announced on Oct 7.

Tiwari explained that once the 10 members are elected, the committee will hold a meeting next year to select a chairman and vice-chairman. The chairman will become a member of the OCA Executive Committee and will be able to propose athlete-related suggestions, ensuring that athletes' voices are heard.

Olympic champion and Chinese table tennis player Ding Ning. [Photo courtesy of Ding Ning/Sino Weibo]