Asian Games – Part 2

(இதன் தமிழ் வடிவத்திற்கு இங்கே சொடுக்கவும்)

Asian Games

Symbols

• The Asian Games Movement uses symbols to represent the ideals embodied in the Asian Games charter.
• The Asian Games motto is "Ever Onward".
• It was designed and proposed by Guru Dutt Sondhi.
• It was upon the creation of the Asian Games Federation in 1949.
• The Asian Games symbol is a bright sun in red with 16 rays and a white circle in the middle of its disc.
• It represents the ever glimmering and warm spirit of the Asian people.

Origin of Mascots

• Since the 1982 Asian Games in New Delhi, the Asian Games have had a mascot.
• This mascot is usually an animal native to the area or occasionally human figures representing the cultural heritage.

Participation

• All 45 members affiliated to the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) are eligible to participate in the Games.
• According to membership in the OCA, transcontinental Kazakhstan is an Asian country.
• It could participate at Asian Games but this right could not applicate for Egypt.

• As the country, Egypt had 6% of territory on Sinai.
• So, it is participating in the African Games instead.
• Various countries participating in the European Games rather than the Asian Games.
• Their major geographical parts are located in Asian continent: Turkey and Russia/Soviet Union; almost completely in Asia: Azerbaijan and Georgia; wholly in Asia: Cyprus and Armenia.
• In history, 46 National Olympic Committees (NOCs) have sent competitors to the Games.
• Israel has been excluded from the Games since 1976.
• The reason was cited as being due to security reasons.
• Israel requested to participate in the 1982 Games.

• But the request was rejected by the organizers due to the Munich massacre.
• Israel is now a member of the European Olympic Committees (EOC).
• Israel competes at the European Games.
• Taiwan, Palestine, Hong Kong, and Macau participate in the Asian Games according to membership in OCA.
• Due to its continuing ambiguous political status, Taiwan participates in the Games under the flag of Chinese Taipei since 1990.
• Macau since 1990 Games is allowed to compete as one of the NOCs in Asian Games.
• But Macau is not being recognized 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 Australia would add good value to the Asian Games.
• But it would be unfair to the Oceania National Olympic Committees (ONOC).
• Being members of ONOC, Australia and New Zealand participate in Pacific Games since 2015.
• This motion was mooted again in 2017 after Australia's participation in the 2017 Asian Winter Games.
• They are in discussions to become a full Asian Games member in a near future.
• However, the Australian Olympic Committee announced that Australia would be allowed a small contingent of athletes for the 2022 Games.
• It will be as long as the qualification for Summer Olympics events, such as basketball and volleyball, are played through the Asia-Pacific region.
• There are only seven countries, namely India, Indonesia, Japan, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Singapore and Thailand.
• They have competed in all editions of the games.

Sports

• The average for the edition of events by the edition of the Asian Games is of nearly 260 events with 24 sports by edition.
• Fifty-one sports are spanning 39 different disciplines and nearly 400 events.
• It has been part of the Asian Games program at one point or another, including the 2018 Games in Indonesia.
• The largest number of events happened was the Guangzhou 2010 Games.
• In that 476 events in 42 sports were conducted.
• The number of events varies according to edition and the demands of the local organizing committee, along with those of the host country.
• In 2011, the Games program would respect the eventual changes to the Olympic Games program.
• Along with that, eight extremely popular sports in Asia are in that program, plus up to 7 chosen by the local organization.

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.
• It was leaving three nations: Bhutan, Maldives and Timor-Leste yet to win a single medal.
• 38 nations have won at least one gold medal (only Japan and India have done so at every Asian Games).
• While Japan and China became the only two nations in history to emerge as overall champions.

Centennial Festival

• On 8 November 2012, the OCA decided at its 31st General Assembly in Macau to create a special multi-sport event.
• It was called Asian Games Centennial Festival in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Oriental Games (later became Far Eastern Championship Games).
• OCA awarded the Philippines the hosting rights.
• It was also the host 100 years previous.
• The event was originally scheduled to be held in Boracay, Malay, Aklan on 27 to 29 November 2013.
• But due to the events surrounding Typhoon Haiyan, it was moved to January 2014.

Asian Games 2023

• The Asian Games 2023 is officially known as the 19th Asian Games Hangzhou 2022.
• It was held from September 23 to October 8, 2023, in China.
• A total of 481 events of 40 sports and 61 disciplines will take center stage.
• It will be across 54 competition venues in Hangzhou and five co-host cities.
• Chinese President Xi Jinping inaugurated the Asian Games 2023.
• Olympic Council of Asia President Randhir Singh concluded the tournament.
• The symbol of the Asian Games 2023 was "Surging Tides".
• It was unveiled on 6 August 2018 in Hangzhou.
• The symbol was designed to resemble Zheijang's traditional fan.
• It resembles running track, the tides of the Qiantang River, and radio waves.

Asian Games 2023 Mascot

• The mascot of the Asian Games 2023 was "Congcong, Lianlian, and Chenchen" (Memories of Jiangnan).
• The smart triplet reflects the internet prowess of Hangzhou City and Zhejiang Province.
• Trio of Robots is the official mascot of the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China.

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