The Summit, held alongside the second day of the action at the Asian Games, is aiming to help National Olympic Committees and Asian sports federations to expand their network of contacts.

This will lead eventually, it is hoped, to partnership and consequently greater financial support.

Among companies represented were Olympic Top Sponsors Coca-Cola and BP, as well as two other major brands with experience in supporting the Olympic Movement, Aon and Heineken. 

"When we first talked about hosting this summit and deciding it was a good idea, we thought we would hold it during the Asian Games so the sponsors and athletes could see the size of the event," said Sheikh Ahmad in his Opening Address this morning.

"We have to sell and convince people of the product we have."

"Sport cannot move without partners, and partners can open new markets.

"This is big potential for the future of the sports market, and let us work together and take what we want from each other," he said.

Long-time Olympic sponsors Coca-Cola were among the major companies who attended the OCA Partnership Summit ©Getty Images

Sheikh Ahmad, also the President of the Association of National Olympic Committees, added that the summit was coming at a particularly exciting time for Asia.

As well as Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games taking place in nearby Pyeongchang in 2018, before the Summer version is held in Tokyo two years later, the FIFA World Cup is being held in Qatar in 2022.

Similar enthusiasm was echoed by the Summit organiser George Taylor, who said the OCA was the first continental association within the Olympic Movement to hold such a seminar.

He then urged participating NOCs to develop their own in-house marketing and sponsorship departments to open up new sources of revenue and activity.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]