ASIAN GAMES

ASIAN GAMES

The Asian Games, officially known as Asiad, is a multi-sport event held every four years among athletes from all over Asia. The Games were regulated by the Asian Games Federation (AGF) from the first Games in New Delhi, India, until the 1978 Games. Since the 1982 Games they have been organised by the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), after the breakup of the Asian Games Federation. The Games are recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and are described as the second largest multi-sport event after the Olympic Games.

In its history, nine nations have hosted the Asian Games. 46 nations have participated in the Games, including Israel, which was excluded from the Games after their last participation in 1974.

India played a leading role in organising sports festival for Asian countries on Olympic lines. ‘Ever Onward’ is the motto of the Asian Games and ‘a bright full rising sun with interlocking rings’ is its emblem. 

The first Asian Games were held at Delhi in 1951 followed by

Manila, the Philippines (1954);

Tokyo, Japan (1958);

Jakarta, Indonesia (1962);

Bangkok, Thailand, (1966, 1970, 1978 & 1998);

Teheran, Iran (1974);

New Delhi, India (1982);

Seoul, South Korea (1986);

Beijing, China (1990);

Hiroshima, Japan (1994);

Bangkok, Thailand (1998);

Busan, South Korea (2002);

Doha, Qatar (2006);

Guangzhou, China (2010).

16th Asian Games (November, 2010)

16th Asain Games were held at Guangzhou in China. 45 countries participated in these games and about 10000 players took part in them. In 42 disciplines, 476 Gold Medals were decided. China gave a spectacular performance with 199 Gold Medals in its Kitty.

Medals Tally (Top Ten) of 16th Asian Games

Top Ten Country                         Gold                     Silver                   Bronze                   Total

1               China                               199                        119                         98                         416

2               South Korea                     76                          65                          91                         232

3               Japan                                 48                          74                          94                         216

4               Iran                                   20                          14                          25                          59

5               Kazakhstan                       18                          23                          38                          79   

6               India                                 14                          17                          33                          64   

7               Taiwan                              13                          16                          38                          67   

8               Uzbekistan                        11                          22                          23                          56   

9               Thailand                            11                          09                          32                          52   

10             Malayasia                          09                          18                          13                          40   

China competed in 37 of the 39 disciplines, missing out on Kabaddi and Karate, and won medals in all but six of them. It completely dominated the field in gymnastics, shooting, diving and women’s weightlifting. Chinese world champion Yang Wei spearheaded the Chinese assault in gymnastics with four Gold medals including the men’s all-round title. It also won the men’s and women’s team titles and the women’s all-round Gold through He Ning and its total gymnastics Gold count stood at 11. Chinese shooters won 27 of the 44 Gold medals up for grab.

How India Fared at the Asian games (1951-2010)

        S. No.               Year            Gold                    Silver                  Bronze                  Total

        1.                       1951               15                         16                         21                         52

        2.                       1954                5                           4                           9                          18

        3.                       1958                5                           4                           4                          13

        4.                       1962               10                         13                         11                         34

        5.                       1966                7                           3                          11                         21

        6.                       1970                6                           9                          10                         25

        7.                       1974                4                          12                         12                         28

        8.                       1978               11                         11                          6                          28

        9.                       1982               13                         19                         25                         57

        10.                     1986                5                           9                          23                         37

        11.                     1990                1                           8                          14                         23

        12.                     1994                4                           3                          15                         22

        13.                     1998                7                          11                         17                         35

        14.                     2002               11                         12                         13                         36

        15.                     2006               10                         18                         26                         54

        16.                     2010               14                         17                         33                         64         

THE 2014 ASIAN GAMES, (XVII ASIAD)

The 2014 Asian Games, officially known as the XVII Asiad, is the largest sporting event in Asia governed by Olympic Council of Asia (OCA). It is scheduled to take place in Incheon, South Korea from September 19 – October 4, 2014.

List of Asian Games

Year	Games	Host	Dates	Nations	Athletes	Sports	Events
1951	I	New Delhi, India	March 4–11	11	489	6	57
1954	II	Manila, Philippines	May 1–9	19	970	8	76
1958	III	Tokyo, Japan	May 28–June 1	16	1,820	13	97
1962	IV	Jakarta, Indonesia	August 24–September 4	12	1,460	13	88
1966	V	Bangkok, Thailand	December 9–20	16	1,945	14	143
1970	VI	Bangkok, Thailand	August 24–September 4	16	2,400	13	135
1974	VII	Tehran, Iran	September 1–16	19	3,010	16	202
1978	VIII	Bangkok, Thailand	December 9–20	19	3,842	19	201
1982	IX	New Delhi, India	November 19–December 4	23	3,411	21	147
1986	X	Seoul, South Korea	September 20–October 5	27	4,839	25	270
1990	XI	Beijing, China	September 22–October 7	36	6,122	29	310
1994	XII	Hiroshima, Japan	October 2–16	42	6,828	34	337
1998	XIII	Bangkok, Thailand	December 6–20	41	6,554	36	376
2002	XIV	Busan, South Korea	September 29–October 14	44	7,711	38	419
2006	XV	Doha, Qatar	December 1–15	45	9,520	39	424
2010	XVI	Guangzhou, China	November 12–27	45	9,704	42	476
2014	XVII	Incheon, South Korea	September 19 –October 4	Future event
2019	XVIII			Future event
2023	XIX			Future event

Prior formation

Before the Asian Games were held, there was a gathering known as the Far Eastern Games which was first mooted in 1912 between Empire of Japan, the Philippine Islands and China. The first Games were then held in Manila in 1913 and ten further gatherings were held until 1934. However, against the backdrop of the second Sino-Japanese War in 1934, in the face of Japan's insistence on including Manchu Empire as competitor nation in the Games, China announced its withdrawal from participation. The Games scheduled for 1938 were cancelled and the organisation was discontinued thereafter.

Formation

After World War II, a number of Asian countries became independent. Many of the newly independent Asian countries wanted to see a new type of competition where Asian dominance would not be shown by violence but would be strengthened by mutual understanding. During the 1948 Summer Olympics in London, a conversation between sportsmen from China and the Philippines raised the idea of restoring the Far Eastern Games. However, the Indian International Olympic Committee representative Guru Dutt Sondhi thought that the restoration of the Games would not be sufficient to show the spirit of unity and level of achievement in Asian sports, so proposed to sports leaders the idea of having discussions about holding a wholly new competition — the Asian Games. This gave rise to the agreement to form the Asian Athletic Federation. A preparatory committee was set up to draft the charter for this new body. On 13 February 1949, the Asian Athletic Federation was formally inaugurated in New Delhi, alongside the name Asian Games Federation, with New Delhi announced as the first host city of the Asian Games which were scheduled to be held in 1950.

Participation

 

2006 Asian Games

All 45 members affiliated to the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) are eligible to take part in the Games. In history, 46 National Olympic Committees (NOCs) have sent competitors to the Games. Israel has been excluded from the Games since 1976, the reason cited as being due to security reasons. Israel requested to participate in the 1982 Games, but the request was rejected by the organisers due to incident in 1972 Summer Olympics. Israel is now a member of the European Olympic Committees (EOC).

Due to its continuing ambiguous political status, Taiwan has participated in the Games under the flag of Chinese Taipei since 1990. Macau is allowed to compete as one of the NOCs in Asian Games, despite not being recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for participation in the Olympic Games.

In 2007, the President of OCA, Sheikh Ahmed Al-Fahad Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah, rejected the proposal to allow Australia to participate in the Games. He stated that while Australia would add good value to the Asian Games, it would be unfair to the other NOCs in Oceania.

Only seven countries, namely India, Indonesia, Japan, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Singapore and Thailand have competed in all editions of the games.

Medal count

Of the 46 National Olympic Committees participating throughout the history of the Games, 43 nations have won at least a single medal in the competition, leaving three nations: Bhutan, Maldives and Timor-Leste yet to win a single medal. 34 nations have won at least a single gold medal, while Japan and China became the only two nations in history to emerge as overall champions.

Sports

44 sports were presented in Asian Games history, including 2010 Games in Guangzhou.

Sport Years Aquatics since 1951 Archery since 1978 Athletics since 1951 Badminton since 1962 Baseball since 1994 Basketball since 1951 Board games since 2006 Bodybuilding 2002–2006 Bowling 1978, 1986, since 1994 Boxing since 1954 Canoeing since 1986 Cricket 2010 Cue sports since 1998 Cycling 1951, since 1958 Dancesport 2010 Dragon boat 2010 Equestrian 1982–1986, since 1994 Fencing 1974–1978, since 1986 Football since 1951 Golf since 1982 Gymnastics since 1974 Handball since 1982
Sport	Years
Hockey	since 1958
Judo	since 1986
Kabaddi	since 1990
Karate	since 1994
Modern pentathlon	1994, 2002, 2010
Roller sports	2010
Rowing	since 1982
Rugby union	since 1998
Sailing	1970, since 1978
Sepaktakraw	since 1990
Shooting	since 1954
Softball	since 1990
Soft tennis	since 1990
Squash	since 1998
Table tennis	1958–1966, since 1974
Taekwondo	1986, since 1994
Tennis	1958–1966, since 1974
Triathlon	since 2006
Volleyball	since 1958
Weightlifting	1951–1958, since 1966
Wrestling	since 1954
Wushu	since 1990