On the evening of August 19, 2024, the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) announced the official cancellation of the 6th Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games (AIMAG 6). The decision came after the host nation, Thailand, was unable to secure sufficient financial resources to organize the event, which was scheduled to take place in late November 2024.
Originally planned for 2021, AIMAG 6 had already been postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite multiple delays to give Thailand more time to prepare, the OCA ultimately determined that the event could not proceed as planned. The next AIMAG is now expected to take place in 2026 in Saudi Arabia.
The cancellation of AIMAG 6 has significant implications for Vietnam’s sports programs, particularly for athletes who had been training intensively for the event. Sports such as men’s and women’s futsal, 3×3 basketball, and others had earmarked AIMAG 6 as a key competition. In June 2024, the Department of Physical Education and Sports, along with the Vietnam Olympic Committee, had preliminarily selected over 300 athletes across 27 sports to compete at AIMAG 6.
Vietnam had a strong showing at the last AIMAG, held in 2017, finishing 9th overall with 13 gold medals, 8 silver medals, and 19 bronze medals. The cancellation of this year’s event represents a significant shift, as many athletes and teams will now have to adjust their training and competition schedules for the remainder of the year.
The unexpected cancellation of AIMAG 6 means that Vietnam’s sports authorities and athletes must quickly reassess their goals and focus on other upcoming international events. This adjustment period will be crucial as the nation prepares for future competitions, including the 2026 AIMAG in Saudi Arabia and other continental and global sports events.
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