The Asian Games, also known as Asiad, is a continental multi-sport event held every fourth year among athletes from all over Asia. The Games were regulated by the Asian Games Federation (AGF) from the first Games in New Delhi, India in 1951, until the 1978 Games. 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 (IOC) and are described as the second largest multi-sport event after the Olympic Games.
The 7th Asian Games were held from 1 to 16 September 1974 in Tehran, Iran. The Aryamehr Sports Complex was built for the Games. The Asian Games were hosted in the Middle East for the first time. Tehran, the capital of Iran, played host to 3,010 athletes coming from 25 countries/NOCs, the highest number of participants since the inception of the Games.
The 8th Asian Games were held from 9 to 20 December 1978, in Bangkok, Thailand. Originally, the host city was Singapore but Singapore dropped its plan to host the Games due to financial problems. Then Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan, was decided to host the 8th Games. But Islamabad also dropped its plan to host the Asian Games due to conflicts with Bangladesh and India.
The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) is a governing body of sports in Asia, currently with 45 member National Olympic Committees. Talal Fahad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah was elected as President of the OCA on 8 July 2023. However, on 30 July 2023, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) asked Randhir Singh, who was previously the acting president, to continue as the Acting President of the OCA, while the IOC investigated the OCA presidential election of 2023. On 13 October 2023, the IOC ethics committee asked the OCA to annul its 2023 elections due to Talal’s candidacy not fulfilling the eligibility conditions defined by the OCA Constitution and election interference by his brother Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah.
People's Republic of China first competed at the Asian Games in 1974.
Israel competed at the Asian Games five times, from 1954 to 1974.
Pakistan is a member of the South Asian Zone of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), has participated in the Asian Games since their second edition in 1954. The Pakistan Olympic Association, established in 1948, and recognised in the same year by the International Olympic Committee, is the National Olympic Committee for Pakistan.
The 1974 Asian Games was a multi-sport event held in Tehran, Iran from September 1, 1974, to September 16, 1974. This was the first time that Asian Games were celebrated in any Middle East country. A total of 3,010 athletes selected from 25 Asian National Olympic Committees participated in 16 sports divided into 202 events. The number of participating countries was the greatest in Asian Games history, eighteen nations competed in Bangkok, host of the 1970 Asian Games. Fencing, gymnastics (artistic) and women's basketball were included for the first time; while sailing—which made its debut in the previous Asian Games—was not included, however since 1978, sailing is a part of the Asian Games sports.
North Korea participated in the 1974 Asian Games held in Tehran, Iran from September 1, 1974 to September 16, 1974. This revision of the Games was the debut of North Korea in Asian Games. North Korea was represented by the Olympic Committee of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. North Korean athletes claimed 46 medals in total, including 15 gold, and finished at the fifth position in a medal table.
India participated in the 1974 Asian Games held in Tehran, Iran from 1 to 16 September 1974. Athletes from India won overall 28 medals, including four gold, and finished seventh in a medal table.
Indonesia participated in the 1974 Asian Games held in Tehran, Iran from 1 to 16 September 1974. Athletes from Indonesia won overall 11 medals, including three gold, and finished ninth in a medal table.
Mongolia participated in the 1974 Asian Games held in Tehran, Iran from 1 to 16 September 1974. Athletes from Mongolia won overall 15 medals, including two gold, and finished tenth in a medal table.
Pakistan participated in the 1974 Asian Games held in Tehran, Iran from 1 to 16 September 1974. Athletes from Pakistan won overall 11 medals, including two gold, and finished 11th in a medal table.
Singapore participated in the 1974 Asian Games held in Tehran, Iran from 1 to 16 September 1974. Athletes from Singapore won overall 11 medals, including one gold and finished 13th in a medal table.
Burma participated in the 1974 Asian Games held in Tehran, Iran from 1 to 16 September 1974. Athletes from Burma won overall six medals, including one gold medal and finished 14th in a medal table.
Iraq participated in the 1974 Asian Games held in Tehran, Iran from 1 to 16 September 1974. Athletes from Iraq won overall six medals, including one gold medals and finished 15th in a medal table.
Afghanistan participated in the 1974 Asian Games held in Tehran, Iran from 1 to 16 September 1974. Athletes from Afghanistan won only one medal and finished 19th in a medal table.
Kuwait participated in the 1974 Asian Games held in Tehran, Iran from 1 to 16 September 1974. Athletes from Kuwait won only one medal and finished 18th in a medal table.
North Korea participated in the 2002 Asian Games held in Busan, South Korea, from September 29 to October 14, 2002. Their participation marked their sixth Asian Games appearance. The North Korean delegation consisted of 318 people. North Korean athletes won total nine gold, eleven silver, and thirteen bronze medals. North Korea finished ninth in the final medal table standings.
Iran competed at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, China, from 4 to 20 February 2022.
