Held every 4 years, the Asian Games is the world’s largest multi-sport event outside of the Olympics. 46 nations have historically competed in the production, whose next edition is to be held by Jakarta, Indonesia in 2018. In February of this year, we reported how Australia was hoping to join the party, with its Olympic Committee President, John Coates, pursuing bringing a full delegation of athletes to the 2022 version set for Hangzhou, China.
At the time, Coates said, “Discussions are underway and I believe there would be great interest in the Asian Games amongst our member sports. Particularly in sports where the Asian countries are strong (such as) gymnastics, badminton and table tennis. I believe participating in the Asian Games would be very good for us.”
However, Inside the Games is reporting that the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) President Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah is now against the idea of Oceania getting involved. “We cannot go for the main Games because Asian Games has a maximum of 15,000 participants,” Sheikh Ahmad said.
“That’s almost an Olympic Games – we cannot add more to our main Games in Asia,” he continued. “In Asia we have indoor Games, Winter Games, Beach Games and Main Games. The Indoor and Beach Games will still be a good opportunity for our colleagues from Oceania to participate with us.”
An idea still being bounced around is the possibility of Australia initiating the creation of a multi-sport Games specifically for Oceania, akin to the newer European Games.
Can only say to Sheikh Al-Sabah that he, and his executive, need only look in their own bathroom mirrors to locate the parties responsible for the “gigantism” of the Asian Games that he now bemoans. ARE all of these necessary or sustainable with or without potential interlopers ?
As for any Oceania Games, its frankly “dead before arrival” as any realisitic proposition. There already exists the Pacific Games but this basically exists as an outlet for the smaller nations. If it were the case that both AUS or NZL sent full strength teams; it would die ….. as both their populations & economic size (let alone sporting strengths) are so many times larger than all the other nations combined. Hence,… Read more »
smdh white people think they can just show up anywhere
Australia has an awful lot of Asian born & 2nd generation .& beyond . According to close family dna tests even I have clearly identifiable East Asian gene clusters . By US Misgenation laws of 》1960 I might not have been able to marry you! .
So we should be able to put a team of Asians together . It won’t beat China but I think top 10 .
Steve Nolan I don’t think white people will be showing up anywhere or everywhere in the future bro. Whites are going extinct and when they finally go extinct due to lack of babies then we can have true diversity.
True diversity is when everyone is brown, Asian or black like me. No more blondes or redheads.