This emerged here today, as dignitaries gathered in the Turkmenistan capital to witness the signing of an historic agreement opening the door for athletes from 17 nations and seven associate members of the Oceania region to participate in AIMAG for the first time.

The agreement means more than 60 countries will be eligible to compete in these Games.

At a solemn ceremony, with the principals seated around a large ring-shaped table, the President of Turkmenistan, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, spoke of opening "a new page" for sport in the region.

"The promotion of sports will promote peace and progress in the world," he said, adding: "Promotion of sports is one of the main policies of our country".

Guests gather from Turkmenistan and both the Olympic Council of Asia and the Oceania National Olympic Committees for the signing ©Ashgabat 2017



Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) President Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah expressed appreciation for the calibre of the facilities Ashgabat is building and predicted: "This will be another new dream that will come true for all of us."

In effusive mood later, Sheikh Ahmad had a buoyant message for Games organisers.

"You should be confident you are on the right track," he said.

"This will be a very comfortable journey and very exciting."

Turkmenistan still needed experience before aspiring to host bigger events such as the Asian Games, Sheikh Ahmad did suggest, but "otherwise they are ready".

"Whenever they want...I think they are ready and capable of hosting the Asian Games," he added.

Oceania National Olympic Committees (ONOC) President Robin Mitchell highlighted historic ties between the two regions, saying that, according to the latest belief, the Pacific islands were populated from the northern part of eastern Asia.

"That link was there many, many centuries before western civilisation reached our part of the world," he said.

He described participation in AIMAG as a "natural progression", given the number of Asian organisations in different fields at which Oceania is represented.

An impression of what the venues will look like during the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games in Ashgabat ©OCA



Also present was newly-declared International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) Presidential candidate Sebastian Coe, who heads CSM Strategic, the company developing a master plan for AIMAG.

"This continent has grown to become a sporting superpower," Coe said, underlining that the agreement marked "the union of two continents that will allow athletes from more than 60 countries for the first time in history to compete together."

AIMAG's centre of activities in 2017 will be a new $5 billion (£3.5 billion/€4 billion) Olympic Complex incorporating venues for a wide range of events.

Turkmenistan, which possesses the world's fourth largest reserves of natural gas and has been utilising the proceeds to transform its capital at rapid pace, will also host the 2015 OCA General Assembly.

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