Asian Games

Asian Games

Every four years; November

The Olympic Council of Asia has been organizing the Asian Games since 1951. Every four years, the best athletes from throughout Asia are chosen to compete in the games, which are supervised by the International Olympics Committee.
Not all Asian countries participate in the games. Israel is kept out of the competition due to objections by several Arab nations. Taiwan was kept out for several years due to a conflict with communist mainland China. Australia was disqualified from participation when it was judged to be an Oceanic country. In 1994, the Olympic Council of Asia drew protest for admitting five former Soviet republics into the games.
The Asian Games draw 10,500 athletes from some 45 countries who compete in 39 sporting events. Among the contests are handball, karate, rowing, chess, bowling, and swimming. As in the Olympics, each competition awards a gold, silver, and bronze medal to the three best athletes. A torch is also carried from the site of the last games to the site of the next games, a process that involves some 3,000 persons.
The 15th Asian Games were held in the Persian Gulf country of Qatar in 2006. China won the most medals, followed by South Korea and Japan. The 16th Asian Games will be held in China in 2010.

CONTACTS:
Olympic Council of Asia
P.O. Box 6706
Hawalli 32042 Kuwait
www.ocasia.org