DUSHANBE, January 13, Asia-Plus - Three Tajik Alpine skiers are being trained to participate in the Sixth Winter Asian Game that will open in China’s Chang Chun on January 28.  

Muhamamdsho Abdulloyev, head of the international affairs department of Tajikistan’s National Olympic Committee (NOC), said that three athletes (Alpine skiers), Nasrullo Zokirov, Alisher Qudratov ad Abdurahim Qurbonov, will represent Tajikistan in Chang Chun-2007 that runs through February 4.  The sportsmen and their coach Dilshod Karimov will leave for China on January 25.

According to him, sportsmen from some 45 nations are scheduled to compete in the Winter Asian Games in China in the following 10 Olympic-type sports: Short Track Speed Skating, Speed Skating, Ice Hockey, Biathlon, Alpine Skiing, Snowboard, Cross-Country Skiing, Free Style Skiing, Figure Skating, Curling

The 1 ^st Winter Asian Games were held from March 1 to 8, 1986in Sapporo, Japan.  The Japanese Olympic Committee first suggested the idea of having a continent-wide winter version of the Asian Games in 1982.  With Sapporo''s expertise and infrastructure available after successfully hosting the 1972 Winter Olympics, the Olympic Council of Asia General Assembly in Seoul in 1984 decided to give Japan the privilege of hosting the first ever Winter Asian Games.