The 19th Asian Games, aka Hangzhou 2022, will take place in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China, in the year 2022. Beijing in 1990 and Guangzhou in 2010 are the only other Chinese cities to host the Asian Games; Hangzhou will be the third.
The Games were planned to take place from September 10-25, 2022, but were canceled on May 6th due to fears of the COVID-19 outbreak and travel to mainland China. It was revealed on July 19th, 2022, that the new dates would be September 23rd to October 8th, 2023.
The rescheduling of the 2022 Asian Games
The Olympic Council of Asia (aka OCA) announced that the Asian Games 2022, which had been planned for September 2022, would now take place from September 23rd to October 8th, 2023!
Because of the rapid spread of the COVID-19 virus in and around the Asian Games’ planned host city of Hangzhou, China, in May, the games were postponed. The dates of September 10–25, 2022, were set as the venue for the quadrennial event.
The OCA formed a task force after the postponement of the Asian Games was announced on May 6th in order to find new dates for the games that would not clash with any other major international sporting events scheduled for 2023.
After consulting with the Chinese Olympic Committee, the Hangzhou Asian Games Organising Committee (aka HAGOC), and other relevant parties, the task force settled on the period of September-October 2023 as the optimal time for the games to be held.
China will host the Asian Games for a record-tying third time, this time for the 19th round of the tournament. In 1990, the Games were held in Beijing, while in 2010, they were held in Guangzhou.
The Olympic Council of Asia released a statement thanking the Hong Kong and Macau Organizing Committee for the Asian Games, the Chinese Olympic Committee, and all levels of government for their support in making the 2022 Asian Games a reality.
The OCA would also like to express its gratitude to national Olympic committees, international/Asian federations, and other stakeholders for their understanding and tolerance during this process. In April, workers finished constructing all of the Asian Games 2022 sites and amenities.
History of Asian Games
Since its beginning in 1951, the Asian Games has been the highest sporting event of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA). Similar to the Olympian Games, they occur once every four years.
For the 19th time, the Asian Games will be held in Hangzhou and Zhejiang, china, in 2023.
The sports program of the Games is designed after that of the Olympic Games; therefore, athletics and swimming are played a central role. However, the Games also include events that showcase the rich and varied sporting traditions of Asia, such as sepak takraw from South East Asia, kabaddi from South Asia, and wushu from East Asia.
Since 1954, when the first games were held in New Delhi, the games have been held every four years. There were 11 countries represented at the first-ever games, and a total of 6 sports were offered. The 2002 Asian Games were held in Pusan, South Korea, and featured competition in 38 different sports.
There were many political boycotts and exclusions at the Asian Games, as there are at most international sports festivals. GANEFO (Games for the New Emerging Forces) was founded in 1963 by communist Asian countries and held games in 1966 without the blessing of the International Association of Athletics Federations. In general, GANEFO showcased more impressive performances than the Asian Games! But the Asian Games were reopened to communist countries in the 1970s.
The emblem, motto, and mascot of the 2022 Asian Games
During an event held on August 6th, 2018, at the offices of the Hangzhou Culture Radio Television Group, the Games’ official emblem, “Surging Tides,” was revealed. The emblem is a combination of a hand fan, a running track, the Qiantang River, and sound waves (symbolizing wireless connectivity).
It was claimed by the organizing committee that the symbol represented “the great cause of socialism with Chinese traits gaining impetus in the new age” and “the unity, cooperation, and growth of the OCA.”
Congcong, Lianlian, and Chenchen, jointly dubbed the “Memories of Jiangnan,” were introduced as the Games’ symbols on April 3rd, 2020. The West Lake, the Grand Canal, and the Archaeological Remains of Liangzhu City are each represented by a robotic character.
On December 15th, 2019, exactly one thousand days before the inaugural festivities of the 2022 Asian Games, the official motto “Heart to Heart, @Future” was unveiled. This phrase is meant to represent the bonds that were forged between Asian nations during the Asian Games.
Participates in the 2022 Asian Games
The 45 National Olympic Organizations represented by the Olympic Council of Asia’s membership are obligated to send representatives. The OCA announced in March 2019 that it would welcome athletes from Oceania to compete in selected sports at the upcoming Asian Summer Games. This would be the first time that athletes from Oceania have ever competed in the Asian Games.
It was revealed in November 2021 that competitors from Oceania would be asked to participate in a variety of events, including athletics, wushu, roller skating, triathlon, and weightlifting. Australian and New Zealand officials agreed against sending competitors because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
In an effort to help Russian and Belarusian competitors qualify for the 2024 Summer Olympics, the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) extended an invitation to participate in the Asian Games on January 26th, 2023. Sanctions against Russia and Belarus will still be enforced by OCA, but their participation in the Asian Games will not affect the final standings.
Sports played in the 2022 Asian Games
The Olympic Council of Asia originally stated 37 sports would be featured at the Games. This included the 28 required Olympic sports that will be competed at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, as well as contests in other non-Olympic sports. As a result, new sports like open-water swimming and rhythmic gymnastics group competitions were introduced to the Olympian schedule.
As of September 12th this year, a total of 61 events across 40 sports have been added to the schedule, including baseball, softball, judo, and sport climbing, all of which were previously optional at the then-upcoming 2020 Summer Olympics.
With the addition of breakdancing in 2024 and esports as a showcase event in 2018, the total number of sports in the Olympic schedule has grown to 42.
Eight medal events and two showcase events in Arena of Valor, Dota 2, Dream of the Three Kingdoms 2, FIFA, Hearthstone, League of Legends, PUBG Mobile, and Street Fighter V will make up the e-sports schedule at the 2022 Asian Games.
