The Asian Games, also referred to as the Asiad, is a continental multi-sport event held every four years for athletes from across Asia. The Games were overseen by the Asian Games Federation from the inaugural edition in New Delhi, India, in 1951, until the 1978 Games. Since the 1982 edition, they have been organised by the Olympic Council of Asia following the dissolution of the Asian Games Federation. The Games are recognised by the International Olympic Committee and are the second-largest multi-sport event in the world, after the Olympic Games.
To date, nine nations have hosted the Asian Games, and forty-six nations have participated, including Israel, which was excluded from the Games after its final appearance in 1974. The most recent edition took place in Hangzhou, China, from 23 September to 8 October 2023. The forthcoming edition is scheduled to be held in Aichi Prefecture and Nagoya, Japan, from 19 September to 4 October 2026.
Since 2010, it has become customary for the host of the Asian Games to also stage the Asian Para Games shortly after the conclusion of the main Games. This event is dedicated to athletes with disabilities, similar to the Paralympic Games. However, unlike the Paralympics, where the host city’s contract stipulates the organisation of both events, in Asia there is no such contractual obligation. As a result, the Asian Para Games and the Asian Games operate independently, which could potentially lead to instances in the future where the two events are held in different cities or even in separate countries.
The History of the Asian Games
History
Origins
The Far Eastern Championship Games preceded the Asian Games, with the concept first proposed in 1912 as a competition to be held among Japan, the Philippines, and China. The inaugural Far Eastern Games took place in Manila in 1913, featuring six participating nations. By 1934, a total of ten editions had been held. However, the outbreak of the Second Sino-Japanese War and Japan’s insistence on including the Manchu Empire as a competing nation prompted China to withdraw. The Games scheduled for 1938 were subsequently cancelled, and the organisation was eventually discontinued.
Formation
Following the conclusion of the Second World War, several territories in Asia gained independence. Many of these newly sovereign states sought peaceful avenues to demonstrate their athletic prowess. During the London 1948 Summer Olympics, discussions between representatives of China and the Philippines revived the idea of the Far Eastern Games. Guru Dutt Sondhi, the Indian representative to the International Olympic Committee, proposed that such a competition could embody the spirit of unity and showcase the level of achievement in Asian sports.
This proposal laid the groundwork for what would become the Asian Games. The Asian Athletic Federation was established, and a preparatory committee drafted its charter. On 13 February 1949, the Asian Athletic Federation was formally inaugurated in New Delhi, which was announced as the host city for the inaugural Games, originally scheduled for 1950.
Years of Crises
The Asian Games have experienced periods of significant challenges. In 1962, the host nation, Indonesia, refused entry to Israel and Taiwan due to political recognition disputes. In response, the International Olympic Committee withdrew its sponsorship of the Games and suspended Indonesia’s membership. Several international federations, including the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), the International Amateur Athletics Federation (IAAF), and the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF), also withdrew their recognition of the event.
South Korea subsequently renounced its plans to host the 1970 Asian Games, citing national security concerns, though the underlying reason was financial difficulty. Thailand stepped in to host the Games in Bangkok, utilising funds initially allocated by South Korea. Japan was approached as a potential host but declined, having commitments to Expo ’70 in Osaka. This edition of the Games marked the first to be broadcast worldwide on television.
The 1974 Games in Tehran formally recognised the participation of China, North Korea, and Mongolia. Despite opposition from the Arab world, Israel was allowed to compete, and Taiwan continued to participate under the name “Chinese Taipei,” even though its status had been abolished by the Games Federation at a general meeting on 16 November 1973.
Prior to the 1978 Games, Pakistan withdrew from hosting the 1975 edition due to financial and political difficulties. Thailand once again offered to host, and the Games were held in Bangkok. As in 1962, Taiwan and Israel were excluded by the Games Federation amid political tensions and security concerns, prompting protests from several governing bodies. The International Olympic Committee even threatened to bar participating athletes from the 1980 Summer Olympics. Several nations subsequently withdrew before the opening ceremony.
Reorganisation and Expansion
These developments prompted the National Olympic Committees in Asia to revise the constitution of the Asian Games Federation. Consequently, the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) was established in November 1981, excluding Israel and Taiwan. India was scheduled to host the Games in 1982, and the OCA opted to retain the original timetable set by the Asian Games Federation. The Council formally assumed responsibility for supervising the Games with the 1986 edition held in Seoul, South Korea.
At the 1990 Asian Games in Beijing, Taiwan (Republic of China) was re-admitted under pressure from the People’s Republic of China, competing under the designation “Chinese Taipei.”
The 1994 Games in Hiroshima witnessed the inaugural participation of five former Soviet republics from Central Asia: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. This was also the first edition of the Games to be held outside the host nation’s capital city. However, Iraq was suspended from participation due to the 1990 Persian Gulf War, and North Korea boycotted the Games because of political disputes with the host country. The opening ceremony was overshadowed by tragedy when Nareshkumar Adhikari, the chief of the Nepalese delegation, suffered a fatal heart attack.
The 1998 Games marked the fourth occasion that Bangkok, Thailand, hosted the event, following a formal bidding process this time. The opening ceremony took place on 6 December, whereas the previous three editions had begun on 9 December. The Games were officially opened by King Bhumibol Adulyadej, with the closing ceremony held on 20 December, consistent with the dates of all prior Games hosted by Thailand.
Background
Symbols
The Asian Games Movement employs various symbols to embody the ideals set out in the Asian Games Charter. The official motto, “Ever Onward”, was designed and proposed by Guru Dutt Sondhi upon the establishment of the Asian Games Federation in 1949. The emblem of the Games features a radiant red sun with sixteen rays and a central white circle, representing the ever-glimmering and warm spirit of the peoples of Asia.
Mascots
Since the 1982 Asian Games in New Delhi, India, each edition has featured a mascot. These mascots are usually animals native to the host region, though human figures reflecting local cultural heritage have occasionally been chosen.
Participation
All 45 members affiliated with the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) are eligible to compete in the Asian Games.
By virtue of OCA membership, transcontinental Kazakhstan is considered an Asian country and may participate in the Games. However, this eligibility does not extend to Egypt, which, despite having 6% of its territory in the Sinai Peninsula, competes in the African Games. Similarly, Turkey and Russia (or the former Soviet Union), whose major territories lie in Asia, participate in the European Games. Azerbaijan, Georgia, Cyprus, and Armenia, though geographically mostly in Asia, also compete in European competitions rather than the Asian Games.
Historically, 46 National Olympic Committees (NOCs) have sent athletes to the Games. Israel has been excluded since 1976 for security reasons. Its request to participate in the 1982 Games was rejected due to the Munich massacre. Israel is now a member of the European Olympic Committees (EOC) and competes in the European Games.
Taiwan, Palestine, Hong Kong, and Macau participate in the Asian Games in accordance with their OCA membership. Owing to Taiwan’s ambiguous political status, it has competed under the flag of “Chinese Taipei” since 1990. Macau, also since 1990, has been permitted to participate as one of the NOCs in the Asian Games, despite not being recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for the Olympic Games.
In 2007, the President of the OCA, Sheikh Ahmed Al-Fahad Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah, rejected a proposal to allow Australia to participate in the Games, noting that while Australia would enhance the event, it would be unfair to the Oceania National Olympic Committees (ONOC). Since 2015, Australia and New Zealand, as ONOC members, have competed in the Pacific Games. The proposal was revisited in 2017 following Australia’s participation in the 2017 Asian Winter Games, amid discussions of full Asian Games membership. The Australian Olympic Committee subsequently announced that Australia would be permitted a small contingent of athletes at the 2022 Games, provided qualification for events such as basketball and volleyball was through the Asia-Pacific region. In November 2021, it was announced that athletes from Oceania would be invited to compete in athletics, triathlon, roller skating, weightlifting, and wushu, with “honorary medals” awarded that would not count towards the official medal tally. However, the plan was ultimately shelved due to insufficient interest from relevant federations in Australia and New Zealand.
Only seven nations—India, Indonesia, Japan, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Singapore, and Thailand—have competed in every edition of the Asian Games.
List of Sports
Historically, each edition of the Asian Games has featured an average of approximately 260 events across around 24 sports. The most recent edition, held in Hangzhou, China, marked the largest programme to date, with 481 finals across 40 sports.
Until the 2018 Games, host nations were granted considerable flexibility in designing the sporting programme to reflect local interests and priorities. While this allowed hosts to tailor the Games, it also led to rapid expansion and occasionally resulted in the exclusion of certain Olympic sports, such as the modern pentathlon and triathlon, from the programmes of some editions between 1986 and 2006. This flexibility also contributed to an increase in the number of participating athletes, but it created a highly expansive event, as there were no fixed quotas for athletes per National Olympic Committee (NOC).
To address this issue, the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) introduced a new policy for the 2018 Asian Games onwards, limiting the number of sports to a maximum of 40. This rule aligns the Asian Games programme with that of the subsequent Summer Olympic Games and must be updated in accordance with any changes to the Olympic programme. Nevertheless, each regional body within the OCA may nominate a regional sport based on local interests. Additionally, the organising committees are permitted to include one or two extra sports in response to specific local demands.
FAQs
Q1: What are the Asian Games?
A1: The Asian Games, or Asiad, are a continental multi-sport event held every four years, featuring athletes from Asian countries competing in various sports.
Q2: When were the first Asian Games held?
A2: The inaugural Asian Games took place in New Delhi, India, from 4 to 11 March 1951.
Q3: Who founded the Asian Games?
A3: The Asian Games were founded by Prof. Guru Dutt Sondhi, who proposed the idea at the 1947 Asian Relations Conference in New Delhi.
Q4: How often are the Asian Games held?
A4: The Asian Games are held every four years.
Q5: Which country has hosted the most Asian Games?
A5: India has hosted the Asian Games twice, in 1951 and 1982. Other countries, including Japan and China, have also hosted the Games multiple times.