The President of Thailand Floorball, Mr. Dato Seri Chaiyapak Siriwat, has been appointed as the Vice President of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) from the host city of the 6th Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games.
This means that Mr. Chaiyapak Siriwat will work closely with the OCA in the successful execution of the 6th Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games (AIMAG) in Bangkok and Chonburi in 2021 where floorball will also be included on the programme.
Dato Seri Chaiyapak Siriwat, based in Thailand, has had a long and successful career in sports management and the government of Thailand. He has served as the Minister to Prime Minister’s Office, the Deputy Minister of Transport and Communication, and the Deputy Minister of Interior. In the sports world, he has held many important positions over his career in Tennis, Football, Hockey and Floorball sports bodies.
How important is it to be elected as the OCA Vice-President and what are the main topics that you will work with in the OCA?
– I am very honoured for the appointment as the OCA Vice President as it is an opportunity to ensure the promotion of our indoor sports in higher competitive levels within the vast Asian continent. My aim as President of Asia Oceania Floorball Confederation was to make sure that our sporting floorball family would have the opportunity to compete as part of the official sporting event and not as a demonstration sport. We have been extremely successful in ensuring that floorball is included in the competition, and this will further increase the visibility and growth for floorball in the international arena. Nevertheless, as VP of the OCA in charge of hosting the Indoor Asian Martial Arts Games which will be held in Thailand in 2021, it is my job to ensure the overall success of the Games, says Mr. Dato Seri Chaiyapak Siriwat.
What positive impact do you believe that being included in the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games has for floorball?
– I believe that this is a wonderful opportunity for the growth and promotion of floorball. As this is the first time in the history of floorball to be included as a competitive sport in such an important competition that spans throughout the Asian continent, it is undoubtedly a significant opportunity for Asian countries to learn more about our great game and to eventually develop floorball teams within their respective countries. This opportunity is also extremely key in bridging the gap between the development of floorball teams beyond Europe, to promote more dynamic and engaging and proximate levels of competitions in future World Championships for both men and women on the global level.
6th Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games next year in Thailand
The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) released the dates for the 6th Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games (AIMAG), set on May 21-30, 2021 at Bangkok and Chonburi cities in Thailand. Thailand previously hosted the then Asian Indoor Games in 2005 and the then Asian Martial Arts Games in 2009, before the two competitions merged into one event in 2013 in South Korea.
A total of 28 sports will be played in the 2021 AIMAG which are indoor athletics, cue sports, bowling, dance sport, chess, futsal (men and women), roller sports/sport climbing, short course swimming (25m), muay, jiujitsu, BMX cycling, hoop takraw/sepak takraw, kurash, floorball, netball, taekwondo, indoor hockey, karate, e-sport, badminton, pencak silat, cheerleading, sambo, indoor rowing, indoor volleyball (men and women), basketball 3×3 (men and women), traditional wrestling, and kickboxing.
