Iran's National Olympic Committee President Mahmoud Khosravi Vafa hailed China's preparations for the 9th Winter Asian Games as "exceptional" during an interview with China Media Group (CMG) on Saturday, praising the event's seamless fusion of sport, culture and natural beauty.
The Iranian Olympic chief's remarks followed a visually striking opening ceremony on Friday at the Harbin International Convention and Exhibition Sports Center in the event's host city of Harbin in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, where Iranian athletes received warm applause during the delegation parade. Khosravi Vafa called the ceremony "a masterpiece of creativity," especially considering the extreme cold.
"It is incredible to see such a warm, orderly and beautiful opening ceremony -- in such cold weather," he said.
Khosravi Vafa noted that the event is not only a celebration of winter sports in Asia but also a showcase of sports culture and humanistic values. He noted that the event provides a valuable opportunity to strengthen friendships among nations.
"The Harbin Winter Asian Games perfectly weaves together sports, culture and beautiful winter natural scenery, which will become one of the best memories for athletes," said Khosravi Vafa.
Khosravi Vafa stressed the event's role in fostering international goodwill that harsh winters don't isolate nations, but unite them through shared passion. He expressed optimism that Iran's delegation would leverage the experience to advance winter sports development domestically.
Running from February 7 to 14, the 9th Asian Winter Games has brought together 1,275 competitors from 34 countries and regions, making it the largest edition of the Games in terms of overall participation.
Iranian Olympic chief lauds China's preparations for Winter Asian Games
Iranian Olympic chief lauds China's preparations for Winter Asian Games
