DHAKA: Indonesia is poised to be selected as the host of the next Asian Games in 2018 after Vietnam withdrew because of financial concerns.

The president of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) told media on Wednesday, reports The Straits Times.

The decision will be formally ratified at an OCA General Assembly in South Korea on Saturday but OCA president Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah told media that there was an agreement in place to give the multi-sports event to Jakarta.

Sheikh Ahmad acknowledged that Hanoi’s pullout had posed problems the OCA had never faced before, but they had not been left in the lurch for long.

‘In less than one month, Indonesia was there ready to host it,’ he told media.

‘We have solved the issues with other cities, we have a good agreement - lets leave it to Indonesia. Because it was the competitor to Vietnam at the last vote,’ he added.

‘So Indonesia has to have the priority to host.’

BDST: 1924 HRS, SEP 17, 2014