Last modified: 2023-06-03 by 
zachary harden
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The Asian Games, also known as Asiad, is a Pancontinental multi-sport event
held every four years among athletes from all over Asia. The Games were
regulated by the Asian Games Federation (AGF) from the first Games in 1951 in
New Delhi, India, until the 1978 Games in Bangkok, Thailand. Since the 1982
Games they have been organized by
the Olympic
Council of Asia (OCA), after the breakup of the Asian Games Federation.
The Games are recognized by the International Olympic Committee and are
described as the second largest multi-sport event after the Olympic Games.
Sources: http://www.ocasia.org/Game/Index.aspx,
http://www.ocasia.org/Game/GamesL1.aspx?9QoyD9QEWPeJ2ChZBk5tvA== and
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asian_Games.
Esteban Rivera, 22 January 2018
![[First Asian Games flag]](../images/o/oly@asg.gif)
image
by Erik Bell, November 25, 2002
In the 1940's Guru Dutt Sondhi, IOC member for India, proposed an Olympic-style competition among the nations of India. In response the Asian Games Federation (AGF) was created on Feburary 13, 1949. The AGF adopted a symbol consisting of a red sun. Below the sun was an arc of interlocking rings. The number of rings was equal to the number of member nations of AGF. Thus there were 11 rings in the original logo. As each member was added over the years the number of rings grew, too. This flag of the AGF consisted of this logo on a white field. This same flag, with an ever growing number of rings, served as the ceremonial flag of the games from 1951-1982. I've seen a photo in the January 1983 issue of Olympic Review that seems to show the games motto "EVER ONWARD" in an arc above the sun on the ceremonial flag. This suggests the motto may have been added to the logo and flag at some point.
The organizing committee of the first Asian Games, at the closing ceremony, presented to the organizers of the second Asian Games a smaller flag. This flag was identical to the ceremonial flag except for two changes. Above the sun was placed black letters in two rows spelling out "FIRST ASIAN GAMES" and "NEW DEHLI 1951". The flag is edged on all four sides with long gold fringe. An unusual feature of this flag is that it hangs from a gold cord attached to the two upper corners. The middle of the cord hangs on a hook attached to a pole. This flag is handed down, along with the First Asian Games Torch, from host city to host city at the closing ceremony.
On December 5, 1982, the AGF was replaced by the Olympic Council of Asia. The OCA adopted the old logo and added the games motto "EVER ONWARD" above the sun. The motto is attributed to Guru Dutt Sondhi. Below the rings was added the name "OLYMPIC COUNCIL OF ASIA" in another arc. The 1st President of OCA, Sheikh Fahad Al-Sabah of Kuwait, added the Olympic Rings above the motto in 1983. The ceremonial flag was changed for the Tenth Asian Games (and First Asian Winter Games), in 1986, to display the new logo. The First Asian Games Flag (and Torch) continued to be handed down without alteration.
At the closing ceremony of the Twelth Asian Games in Hiroshima, the organizing committee presented a new flag to the next host city. The OCA flag is identical to the ceremonial flag and is edged in long gold fringe on three sides. This flag is now handed down from host city to host city along side the First Asian Games Flag and Torch.
I found the January 1983 and November issues of Olympic Review (at aafla.org) to be helpful in this research as well as the OCA site.
Erik Bell, November 25, 2002.
I don't what year it was presented, but a different OCA Flag is handed down at the
Asian Winter Games. This flag is identical to the summer one but does not have
gold fringe on the edges. The Asian Winter Games started in 1986 so this flag
can't be any older than that.
Erik Bell, November 25, 2002.
The OCA flag being waved at the Asian Winter Games from the opening ceremony had
no gold fringe on it. Later I found another one from the closing ceremony of the
same Asian Winter Games that shows the OCA flag being passed to the next host
city. This flag has the gold fringe on it, just like the summer version,
although I don't what the difference between the two OCA flags is.
Erik Bell, 30 November 2002
![[2017 Games flag]](../images/i/int@asia17.gif)
image
by Victor Lomantsov, 22 January 2018
Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games", Vth Edition of the Games (official
website: http://www.ashgabat2017.com/),
held in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan.
Esteban Rivera, 22 January 2018