Sawt Falasteen - 'Breaking' dances on Asian Games debut as India reach cricket final

ESports made a smash-hit debut as a medal event earlier in the Games, in what was seen as a major step towards being included one day in the Olympics.

Breakdancing, or "breaking", has already twisted and twirled into the Olympics programme for the Games in less than 10 months as IOC chiefs attempt to appeal to a younger audience.

Making its Asiad debut on Friday even more significant, qualification for Paris is up for grabs along with medals in Hangzhou.

Events are divided into men's and women's categories, with preliminary rounds on Friday and medals on Saturday, the penultimate day of the Games.

As the Games finishing line swings into view, golds were going begging on Friday in sports including archery, bridge, dragon-boat racing, weightlifting and wrestling.

Among the highlights will be the final of the men's basketball, when Jordan clash with the Philippines for gold.

Basketball is the number one sport in the Philippines but the country have not clinched men's Asian Games gold since 1962. Jordan have never won it.

Women's football glory is also at stake when reigning champions Japan face North Korea.

Japan are similarly looking to retain their crown when they meet India in the men's hockey decider.

In some of the early action, India crushed Bangladesh by nine wickets to power into the gold medal match of the men's cricket, as they bid to win the Asian Games title on their first attempt.

Awaiting their young, but still formidable, side in Saturday's title-decider will be Pakistan or Afghanistan, who meet later.

Twenty20 cricket has been played at the Asian Games twice before, at Guangzhou 2010 and Incheon 2014, with Bangladesh and then Sri Lanka crowned champions.

India did not take part and are at an Asiad for the first time in the sport.

- WADA warning -

Separately, the World Anti-Doping Agency warned the Olympic Council of Asia of "consequences" for allowing the North Korean flag to be repeatedly flown at the Games, saying they were treating it "extremely seriously".

WADA declared North Korea's national anti-doping body "non-compliant" in 2021 and imposed sanctions that remain today.

They include not being able to fly its flag at any regional, continental or world sports event, excluding the Olympics and Paralympics.

Despite this North Korea carried the flag at the opening ceremony and it has been routinely hoisted in Hangzhou when their athletes won medals.

In a statement to AFP, WADA said the OCA had breached its obligations as a signatory to its anti-doping code.

"WADA takes this matter extremely seriously and has written to the OCA on several occasions before and after the opening ceremony of the Games, explaining in clear terms the possible consequences that could arise for the OCA if this matter is ignored," it said.

The OCA declined to comment.

- 'Wiping away' doubts -

Speaking to AFP in Hangzhou, a senior official for the 2026 Asiad in Japan said the Games can "wipe away" public doubts over holding major sporting events in the country following a wide-ranging corruption scandal surrounding the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

It came as Japanese media reported that Sapporo is set to abandon its bid for the 2030 Winter Olympics and may now instead try for 2034 or later.

Yasuhiro Nakamori, acting director-general of the organising committee for the 2026 Games in Nagoya-Aichi, believes holding a successful Games will dispel any public concerns.

"We want to wipe away that image by putting on an event that shows the athletes giving their best performance," he said.

J.Saleh--SF-PST