It was revealed this week that the key meeting has been planned for Oman's capital Muscat on December 16.

The main order of business will be selecting the host of the 2030 Asian Games from the two-horse race between fierce regional rivals Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

Both oil-rich countries have put forward their capitals – Doha and Riyadh respectively – with the contest particularly intriguing due to a diplomatic crisis between the bordering nations.

It is hoped that Asian National Olympic Committees will be able to travel to Muscat but the General Assembly will also be available virtually for those who are unable to do so due to coronavirus restrictions.

Doha and Riyadh both submitted their candidature files to the OCA by the deadline of Sunday (October 4), and both have described the 2030 Games as a "national priority".

The 2030 race is a departure from the OCA's normal custom of deciding on its preferred city and electing it unopposed.

The added spice of the diplomatic crisis comes after Saudi Arabia led a blockade of Qatar in 2017, after accusing Doha of supporting terrorism.

Both countries are bidding against a backdrop of international criticism over their human rights records, with Amnesty International already calling on the OCA to ensure the candidates are assessed to identify potential risks. 

An OCA Evaluation Committee led by China's Wei Jizhong will visit both cities in the third week of October.