Asian Games: A Comprehensive Overview

The Asian Games, also known as the Asiad, is a prestigious continental multi-sport event held every four years, bringing together athletes from across Asia to compete in a wide array of sports. Recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), it is the second-largest multi-sport event after the Olympics. Below is a detailed breakdown based on your query, covering host countries, history, included sports, past and current events, India’s performance, participating members (NOCs), and regulatory bodies for all sports with official links (both international and, where relevant, Asian or national examples).

When Did the Asian Games Start?

The Asian Games were first held in 1951 in New Delhi, India, organized by the Asian Games Federation (AGF). The inaugural edition featured 11 countries, 489 athletes, 6 sports, and 57 events. The motto “Ever Onward” was coined by Guru Dutt Sondhi, emphasizing unity and progress in Asian sports. Since 1982, the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) has overseen the Games following the AGF’s dissolution.

Countries Where the Asian Games Are Held (Host Countries)

The Asian Games have been hosted by 9 countries across 19 editions so far (as of the 2022 Games, delayed to 2023). Hosts are selected by the OCA, with a focus on promoting sports infrastructure in Asia. Here’s the complete list of past and future hosts:

Key Notes: Thailand has hosted the most editions (4 times). China leads recent hosts with strong infrastructure. Future hosts like Saudi Arabia mark the Middle East’s growing role.

Which Games (Sports) Are Included?

The Asian Games feature up to 40 sports (capped since 2018 to control scale), with around 460 events. Sports align closely with the Olympic program, plus regional ones like Kabaddi and Sepak Takraw. The average is ~260 events per edition, but the 2022 Hangzhou Games set a record with 481 events across 40 sports.

Full List of Sports and Disciplines (based on recent editions; some are discontinued like Bodybuilding post-2010):

1. Aquatics: Artistic Swimming, Diving, Marathon Swimming, Swimming, Water Polo
2. Archery
3. Athletics
4. Badminton
5. Baseball/Softball: Baseball, Softball
6. Basketball: Basketball, 3×3 Basketball
7. Board Games: Chess, Contract Bridge (discontinued post-2022), Go, Xiangqi
8. Bowling (discontinued post-2018)
9. Boxing
10. Canoeing: Canoe Slalom, Canoe Sprint
11. Cricket
12. Cue Sports (discontinued post-2010)
13. Cycling: BMX Freestyle, BMX Racing, Mountain Bike, Road, Track
14. Dancesport: Ballroom Dancing, Breaking
15. Dragon Boat (discontinued post-2022)
16. Equestrian
17. Esports
18. Fencing
19. Field Hockey
20. Football (Soccer)
21. Golf
22. Gymnastics: Artistic, Rhythmic, Trampoline
23. Handball
24. Jet Ski (discontinued post-2018)
25. Judo
26. Ju-Jitsu
27. Kabaddi
28. Karate
29. Kurash
30. Mixed Martial Arts (debut 2026)
31. Modern Pentathlon
32. Paragliding (discontinued post-2018)
33. Pencak Silat
34. Roller Sports: Artistic Roller Skating, Inline Freestyle, Roller Speed Skating, Skateboarding
35. Rowing
36. Rugby: Rugby Sevens, Rugby Union
37. Sailing
38. Sambo
39. Sepak Takraw
40. Shooting
41. Soft Tennis
42. Sport Climbing
43. Squash
44. Surfing (debut 2026)
45. Table Tennis
46. Taekwondo
47. Tennis: Tennis, Soft Tennis
48. Triathlon
49. Volleyball: Beach Volleyball, Indoor Volleyball
50. Weightlifting
51. Wrestling
52. Wushu

Past vs. Current Events:

• Past (Discontinued/Introduced Earlier): Bowling (1978–2018), Bodybuilding (2002–2006), Cue Sports (1998–2010), Dragon Boat (2010–2022), Jet Ski (2018 only), Paragliding (2018 only). Early editions (1950s–1970s) had fewer sports (e.g., no Esports or Surfing).
• Current (Ongoing/Recent Additions): Esports (since 2022), Breaking (2022), Surfing & Mixed Martial Arts (2026). Core Olympic-aligned sports like Athletics and Swimming have been in all editions.

Till Now, India’s Position

India has been a powerhouse in the Asian Games, hosting twice (1951, 1982) and participating in all 18 editions. In the all-time medal table (as of 2023 Hangzhou Games):

• India’s Rank: 5th overall.
• Medals: 183 Gold, 239 Silver, 357 Bronze (Total: 779).
• Highlights: India crossed 100 medals in a single edition for the first time in 2023 (107 total). Strong in Wrestling (38 Golds), Athletics (27), and Shooting (20). Top-ranked in 1951 (as host). In 2023, India finished 4th with 107 medals (28 Gold).

All-Time Top 10 Nations:

Members (Participating Nations) with Website Links

There are 45 member National Olympic Committees (NOCs) under the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), all eligible to participate. Only 7 nations (India, Indonesia, Japan, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand) have competed in every edition. Israel participated until 1974 but was excluded since 1976 for security reasons. Here’s the full list (alphabetical, as per OCA/IOC recognition; official websites via IOC/OCA directories—visit OCA NOCs Page for latest):

• Afghanistan: National Olympic Committee of Afghanistan
• Bahrain: Bahrain Olympic Committee
• Bangladesh: Bangladesh Olympic Association
• Bhutan: Bhutan Olympic Committee
• Brunei: Brunei Darussalam National Olympic Committee
• Cambodia: National Olympic Committee of Cambodia
• China: Chinese Olympic Committee
• Chinese Taipei: Chinese Taipei Olympic Committee
• East Timor (Timor-Leste): National Olympic Committee of Timor-Leste
• Hong Kong: Sports Federation & Olympic Committee of Hong Kong
• India: Indian Olympic Association
• Indonesia: National Olympic Committee of Indonesia
• Iran: National Olympic Committee of the Islamic Republic of Iran
• Iraq: National Olympic Committee of Iraq
• Japan: Japanese Olympic Committee
• Jordan: Jordan Olympic Committee
• Kazakhstan: National Olympic Committee of the Republic of Kazakhstan
• Kuwait: Kuwait Olympic Committee
• Kyrgyzstan: National Olympic Committee of the Republic of Kyrgyzstan
• Laos: National Olympic Committee of the Lao PDR
• Lebanon: Lebanese Olympic Committee
• Macau: Olympic Committee of Macau, China
• Malaysia: Olympic Council of Malaysia
• Maldives: National Olympic Committee of the Republic of Maldives
• Mongolia: Mongolian National Olympic Committee
• Myanmar: Myanmar Olympic Committee
• Nepal: Nepal Olympic Committee
• North Korea: Olympic Committee of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
• Oman: Oman Olympic Committee
• Pakistan: Pakistan Olympic Association
• Palestine: Palestine Olympic Committee
• Philippines: Philippine Olympic Committee
• Qatar: Qatar Olympic Committee
• Saudi Arabia: Saudi Arabian Olympic Committee
• Singapore: Singapore National Olympic Council
• South Korea: Korean Olympic Committee
• Sri Lanka: National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka
• Syria: Syrian Olympic Committee
• Tajikistan: National Olympic Committee of the Republic of Tajikistan
• Thailand: National Olympic Committee of Thailand
• Turkmenistan: National Olympic Committee of Turkmenistan
• United Arab Emirates: UAE National Olympic Committee
• Uzbekistan: National Olympic Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan
• Vietnam: National Olympic Committee of Vietnam
• Yemen: Yemen Olympic Committee

Note: Links are official NOC sites; for updates, check IOC NOC Directory.

All Games in Asian Games: Regulatory Bodies and Official Links (National/International)

For each sport, the international governing body (IF) oversees rules, with Asian confederations for regional matters. National bodies (e.g., for India) handle local implementation. Below is the full list with links (international primary; Indian national as example for context).

Notes: Links are current as of October 2025. For discontinued sports, bodies remain active. National links focus on India (per context); adjust for other countries via OCA. For more, visit OCA Directory.