Editing Asian Games (section)

==Background==
===Symbols===
The Asian Games Movement uses symbols to represent the ideals embodied in the [[Olympic Charter|Asian Games charter]]. The Asian Games motto is "Ever Onward" which was designed and proposed by Guru Dutt Sondhi upon the creation of the Asian Games Federation in 1949. The Asian Games symbol is a bright sun in red with 16 rays and a white circle in the middle of its disc which represents the ever glimmering and warm spirit of the Asian people.

===Mascots===
{{main|List of Asian Games mascots}}

Since the [[1982 Asian Games]] in [[New Delhi]], India, the Asian Games have had a mascot, usually an animal native to the area or occasionally human figures representing the cultural heritage.

===Participation===
{{See also|Olympic Council of Asia}}
All 45 members affiliated with the [[Olympic Council of Asia]] (OCA) are eligible to participate in the Games.

According to membership in the OCA, [[List of transcontinental countries|transcontinental]] [[Kazakhstan]] is an Asian country and could participate in the Asian Games, but this right could not apply to Egypt as the country had 6% of the territory on [[Sinai Peninsula|Sinai]], participating in the [[African Games]] instead. Turkey and Russia/Soviet Union — whose major geographical parts are located in the Asian continent — participate in the [[European Games]] rather than the Asian Games. Similarly, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Cyprus, and Armenia are mostly located in Asia but participate in the European Games instead of the Asian Games.

In history, 46 National Olympic Committees (NOCs) have sent competitors to the Games. [[Olympic Committee of Israel|Israel]] has been excluded from the Games since 1976, the reason cited as being due to security reasons.<ref>{{cite news|title=Asian Games ban Israel|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=lR8MAAAAIBAJ&pg=2486,2066961|access-date=29 July 2007|newspaper=St. Petersburg Times|date=26 July 1976}}{{Dead link|date=December 2021 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Israel requested to participate in the 1982 Games, but the request was rejected by the organizers due to the [[Munich massacre]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Israel not invited to Asian Games |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=YJAsAAAAIBAJ&pg=5458,3706701 |access-date=29 July 2007 |newspaper=Lakeland Ledger |date=26 May 1982 }}{{dead link|date=July 2019|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> Israel is now a member of the [[European Olympic Committees]] (EOC) and competes at the [[European Games]].

Taiwan, Palestine, Hong Kong, and Macau participate in the Asian Games according to membership in OCA. Due to its continuing ambiguous political status, Taiwan has participated in the Games under the flag of [[Chinese Taipei]] since 1990. [[Macau Sports and Olympic Committee|Macau]] since 1990 has been allowed to compete as one of the NOCs in the Asian Games, despite not being recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for participation in the [[Olympic Games]].

In 2007, the President of OCA, Sheikh [[Ahmed Al-Fahad Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah]], rejected the proposal to allow [[Australian Olympic Committee|Australia]] to participate in the Games. He stated that while Australia would add good value to the Asian Games, it would be unfair to the [[Oceania National Olympic Committees]] (ONOC).<ref>{{cite news|title=No place for Australia in Asian Games|url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/sport/no-place-for-australia-in-asian-games/2007/04/17/1176696841249.html|access-date=2010-07-29|newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=2007-04-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924203541/http://www.smh.com.au/news/sport/no-place-for-australia-in-asian-games/2007/04/17/1176696841249.html|archive-date=24 September 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> Being members of ONOC, Australia and New Zealand have participated in the [[Pacific Games]] since 2015. This motion was mooted again in 2017 after Australia participated in the [[2017 Asian Winter Games]] as they are in discussions to become a full Asian Games member shortly.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Harper|first1=Tony|title=Australia in discussions to take part in Asian Games from 2022|url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/more-sports/australia-in-discussions-to-take-part-in-asian-games-from-2022/news-story/a251a754c0abb39edc1106999334884b|access-date=6 August 2017|work=Fox Sports|location=Australia|date=21 February 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170504235915/http://www.foxsports.com.au/more-sports/australia-in-discussions-to-take-part-in-asian-games-from-2022/news-story/a251a754c0abb39edc1106999334884b|archive-date=4 May 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> However, the [[Australian Olympic Committee]] announced that Australia would be allowed a small contingent of athletes for the 2022 Games, as long as the qualification for Summer Olympics events such as basketball and volleyball are through the Asia-Pacific region.<ref>{{cite news|title=Oceania nations allowed small quota of athletes at 2022 Asian Games|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/sports/sport-others/oceania-nations-allowed-small-quota-of-athletes-at-2022-asian-games-4854135/|access-date=24 September 2017|work=The Indian Express|agency=Reuters|date=21 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170924052810/http://indianexpress.com/article/sports/sport-others/oceania-nations-allowed-small-quota-of-athletes-at-2022-asian-games-4854135/|archive-date=24 September 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> In November 2021, it was announced that athletes from Oceania would be invited to compete in athletics, triathlon, roller skating, weightlifting, and [[Wushu (sport)|wushu]]. Athletes were to receive "honorary medals" which would not be counted on the official medal tally.<ref>{{cite news|title=Asian Games 2022: Oceania athletes to compete in Hangzhou, China next year and will receive 'honorary medals'|work=SCMP|url=https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3156934/asian-games-2022-oceania-athletes-compete-hangzhou-china-next-year-and|access-date=22 November 2021|archive-date=22 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211122095217/http://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3156934/asian-games-2022-oceania-athletes-compete-hangzhou-china-next-year-and|url-status=live}}</ref> The plan was shelved due to a lack of interest from the relevant federations in Australia and New Zealand.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Ransom |first=Ian |date=2022-04-26 |title=Australia, New Zealand not sending athletes to Asian Games |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/sports/australia-new-zealand-not-sending-athletes-asian-games-2022-04-26/ |access-date=2023-08-02 |archive-date=2 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230802225425/https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/sports/australia-new-zealand-not-sending-athletes-asian-games-2022-04-26/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

There are only seven countries, namely [[India at the Asian Games|India]], [[Indonesia at the Asian Games|Indonesia]], [[Japan at the Asian Games|Japan]], the [[Philippines at the Asian Games|Philippines]], [[Sri Lanka at the Asian Games|Sri Lanka]], [[Singapore at the Asian Games|Singapore]], and [[Thailand at the Asian Games|Thailand]], that have competed in all editions of the games.