Asian Games – 400,000 extra tickets to be sold to fill empty stadiums

The Olympic Council of Asia will sell 400,000 extra tickets for the Asian Games in southern China to avoid further instances of the half-empty stadiums seen for many sports since the event started on Friday.

The Asian Games in Guangzhou, China's largest sporting event since the 2008 Olympics have been touted as a showcase event of international stature with a flood of tourists and spectators expected for the Nov. 12-27 event encompassing 42 sports.

However, over the first weekend of competition, a conspicuous number of sports including cricket and wushu saw near empty stadiums and arenas. Only core sports like swimming and gymnastics attracted more sizeable crowds.

Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah, president of the Olympic Council of Asia, admitted that the empty stadiums were due to people not taking up sponsors tickets.

"We discussed this issue with the organisers," the president said. "We will sell 400,000 new tickets and increase four more areas for selling the tickets," he told reporters.

The OCA chief also defended the heavy security presence at the venues with authorities in Guangzhou having deployed an estimated 100,000 security personnel.

He did, however, say that some redundant checkpoints would be removed for the convenience of participants and spectators.

The 16th Asian Games have drawn some 10,000 athletes from 45 countries and territories.