The Asian Games are undeniably attention-grabbing. To begin with, they feature a greater number of participants than the Summer Olympics. According to organizers, the opening ceremony in Hangzhou, China, this Saturday will see over 12,000 athletes participating, surpassing the expected count of 10,500 for the upcoming Paris Olympics.
These substantial numbers are, in part, a result of the extensive range of events encompassing numerous regional specialties, sports, and games that are absent from the Olympic roster. Additionally, cricket is on the verge of Olympic inclusion, with strong prospects for its debut as early as the 2028 Los Angeles Games and certainly in the 2032 Brisbane Games. Furthermore, squash has made multiple attempts to secure recognition as an Olympic sport.
Among the regional offerings are dragon boat racing, sepaktakraw (sometimes referred to as “kick volleyball”), wushu (a Chinese martial art), and kabaddi (a popular contact sport in the Indian subcontinent). Additionally, there are non-Olympic martial arts like ju-jitsu and kurash, a style of wrestling well-loved in central Asia.
In addition to these, a wide array of what event organizers categorize as “mind sports” is featured, spanning from bridge to chess to xiangqi (Chinese chess) to esports.
Of course, one can expect to find the traditional Olympic stalwarts like track and field, swimming, and volleyball, as well as the customary grandeur of opening and closing ceremonies. Notably, nine sports in the Asian Games will serve as opportunities for athletes to secure qualification spots for the Olympics. These sports include archery, artistic swimming, boxing, breaking, hockey, modern pentathlon, sailing, tennis, and water polo.
Nevertheless, the bulk of the 481 events present a unique chance for smaller delegations to claim medals, an aspiration that is often unattainable on the Olympic stage.
In the previous Asian Games held in Indonesia in 2018, China distinguished itself by securing almost 300 medals in total. In contrast, at the lower end of the medal standings, Syria and Nepal each earned a solitary medal. Notably, Bhutan and Bangladesh were among the nine delegations that failed to secure any medals.
China is expected to maintain its dominance of the medal table, a position it has held for the past four decades, with Japan and South Korea following closely behind as major Asian contenders. This expansive region spans from Lebanon on the Mediterranean, through central Asia and the Indian subcontinent, extending to North Korea, with organizers confirming the participation of 45 nations and territories.
Organizers have announced that 191 athletes from North Korea will be in attendance, marking a return to international sports competitions after their absence due to border closures in early 2020 and their decision to skip the Tokyo Olympics, which were postponed until 2021. The Asian Games were also postponed by a year from 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Notably, there is potential for political intrigue, as Taiwan, a self-governing island, will be participating in the games hosted by China. China considers Taiwan a breakaway province and aims to reunify with it. In international sporting events like the Olympics and Asian Games, Taiwan is officially recognized as “Chinese Taipei” and competes under a white flag featuring the Olympic rings, as its national flag is not allowed.
Taiwan, with its population of 23.5 million, holds a notable position as a regional sports powerhouse, having secured a seventh-place finish in the overall medal standings during the previous Asian Games in Indonesia.
These games commence amidst a visible power struggle between Thomas Bach, the President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), and Kuwait’s Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah, a longstanding IOC member often referred to as the influential figure who played a pivotal role in Bach’s election as IOC President in Buenos Aires in 2013.
The IOC, headquartered in Switzerland, openly intervened in July, nullifying the presidential election of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) and suspending Sheikh Ahmad from the IOC. The election purportedly saw Sheikh Talal Fahad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, the younger brother of Sheikh Ahmad, emerge as the victor. Sheikh Ahmad had previously held the presidency of the OCA for three decades, an organization founded by his father.
The IOC has announced its intention to recognize Randhir Singh of India as the interim president of the OCA until new elections can be conducted. President Thomas Bach is scheduled to attend the opening ceremony in Hangzhou and is expected to engage in discussions with Singh.
One of the most highly anticipated moments of the Asian Games could be an India vs. Pakistan gold-medal match in men’s cricket, scheduled for October 7, which is expected to be one of the year’s most-watched global sports events. This coincides with the ongoing Cricket World Cup.
China is poised to dominate in diving once again, with several of its top swimmers, who recently participated in the world championships in Fukuoka, Japan, expected to shine. However, the gymnastics field is somewhat depleted due to a scheduling clash with the world championships in Antwerp, Belgium.
A potential standout winner at the Asian Games is South Korean esports sensation Lee Sang-hyeok, widely known as “Faker.” If he secures a gold medal, he will earn an exemption from military service, a coveted achievement. Similarly, Tottenham Hotspur soccer forward Son Heung-min previously avoided a 21-month military stint through a government exemption when South Korea won the gold medal in soccer at the 2018 games in Indonesia, although he did undergo three months of basic training.
(Source: Stephen Wade | AP)
