The difference between Asian Games and Olympics

The 15th Asian Games is to run from Dec. 1-15 in Doha, capital city Qatar attracting 11,000 athletes from 45 countries and regions of the world's largest continent.

As the biggest regional comprehensive sports event, what distinguish Asian Games from the world's most flamboyant sports pageant the Olympic Games?

The Asian Games sets up more disciplines than the Olympics and allows more athletes to take part.

The Doha games features 51 events, which will produce 423 gold medals, compared with the 28 events and 302 golds to be offered at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. Some local-flavor sports thus have the chance to enter the games.

Doha Asian Games boasts a few "firsts". It is the first one hosted by a middle east Arabic country, the first time to register a number up to 45 countries and regions, and the first time for chess and triathlon to touch rollout.

The Asian Games is more flexible in venues selection compared with the Olympic Games, for which the hosts usually are put under great financial pressure to build high-profile match venues.

It is a different story for the Asian Games. The 2010 Asian Games host city Guangzhou of China has decided to put most the matches and training grounds in university stadiums in its layout scheme.

The Asian Games and Olympic Games alternate on two-year basis, so the Asian Games is functioning as a preparation for the Olympic Games for Asian athletes.

Some Asian sports powerhouses, like Chinaand Japan have announced to send some of their young athletes to compete in Doha. China reserves some top athletes including Olympic champions Xing Huina (track and field), Luo Xuejuan (swimming) and women's table tennis world No. 1 Zhang Yining. NBA Houston Rockets center Yao Ming will also miss the games.

China, who has dominated the games in the past 30 years, has made it clear that the games is a warmup event for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

The Doha games will unveil the mystery of the Gulf peninsula country and also present the world a modernized Arabic soil with typical Islamic tradition.

Source: Xinhua

History of the Asian Games.

The spirit of the Games builds up over a long period of time, and passes from one Games to the next spreading messages of unity, warmth and friendship through competitive sport. This is despite differences in language, culture and physical boundaries.

The warmth of the Asian Games comes not only from the symbolic Flame, but from the relationships established between individual athletes, coaches, trainers, officials, volunteers and spectators coming together from many different backgrounds and cultures. This is the spirit of the Games.

The Asian Games are about friendships forged and fellowship beyond frontiers. This is one of the legacies of the Games.

Here is a brief history of sports in Asia since the 1st Asian Games in 1951, and the events and experiences that have helped build the spirit of the Games. Sport in Asia was celebrated long before the Asian Games with the Oriental Games, which date back to 1913.

History of sports in Asia

1st Oriental Olympics Manila, Philippines 1913. Six countries participated over eight days - Philippines, Chinese Taipei, Japan, Malaysia, Thailand and Hong Kong.

2nd Far East Championships up to 10th Far East Championships until 1934.

11th Oriental Championships. This was scheduled to be held in Tokyo, Japan in 1938. It was cancelled because of the Second World War.

The concept of the Asian Games was formalised in New Delhi in 1949. Following an agreement in 1949, the Asian Track and Field Championship was established. After the second meeting, the participating countries agreed to adopt the Asian Games Charter (which was based on the Olympic Charter), leading to the establishment of the Asian Games Federation.

A History of the Asian Games 1951 - 2006

Delhi 1951

Manila 1954

Tokyo 1958

Jakarta 1962

Bangkok 1966

Bangkok 1970

Tehran 1974

Bangkok 1978

New Delhi 1982

Seoul 1986

Beijing 1990

Hiroshima 1994

Bangkok 1998

Busan 2002

Doha 2006

Doha 2006 will be the largest Asian Games ever with 45 countries and regions taking part in 39 sports and 423 events. This is the first time the Asian Games has been hosted in the GCC region, and only the second time after Iran in 1974 for the Games to be staged in the Middle East. The countdown is underway.

Doha Asian Games -

Hello Readers,
I will be constantly keeping you updated of each and every event of the Doha Asian Games live from Doha. Addition to the Live updates there also will be intresting features, reviews and a lot more intresting stuff about the asian games as well as Doha-the host for the games.