The Central Asian Games (CAG) is an international multi-sport event organised by the Central Asian Olympic Committee (CAOC) and held every two years since 1995 among athletes from Central Asian countries and territories of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), especially formerly members of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

Central Asian Games
AbbreviationCAG
First event1995 Central Asian Games in Tashkent, Uzbekistan
Occur every2 years
Next event2021 Central Asian Games
PurposeMulti-sport event for nations of Central Asia

The Central Asian Games is one of five subregional Games of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA). The others are the East Asian Youth Games, the South Asian Games, the Southeast Asian Games (or SEA Games), and the West Asian Games.[1]

History edit

In April 1994, President of the International Olympic Committee Juan Antonio Samaranch visited Tashkent, Uzbekistan. During the meeting, President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov asked him about the possibility of hosting the Olympic Games in Tashkent, to which the IOC President replied that for this, at the request of the Olympic Charter, serious competitions, at least regional ones, should be held. After this, a meeting of the heads of the National Olympic Committees of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and Tajikistan was held in Tashkent, at which a decision was made to organize the Central Asian Games.

Despite the fact that the games should be held every two years, for various reasons they have been canceled more than once, and after 2005 have not actually been held. The Games where scheduled to be revived for 2021 after National Olympic Committee Chairs from the respective countries met in Kazakhstan in February 2020.[2]

Participating nations edit

All seven nations whose National Olympic Committees are recognized by the Central Asian Olympic Committee and one nation whose National Olympic Committee is recognized by the East Asian Olympic Committee.

Former participants edit

1Participated only in 1999, as an invitee.[3]

Editions edit

Host cities of the Central Asian Games
Edition Year Host City Host Nation Opened by Start Date End Date Nations Competitors Sports Events Top Placed Team Ref.
I 1995 Tashkent   Uzbekistan President Islam Karimov 1 September 8 September 5 11 158   Kazakhstan (KAZ) [4]
II 1997 Almaty   Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev 13 September 20 September 5 12 173   Kazakhstan (KAZ) [5]
III 1999 Bishkek   Kyrgyzstan President Askar Akayev 1 October 7 October 6 10 163   Kazakhstan (KAZ) [6]
2001 Ashgabat   Turkmenistan Cancelled
IV 2003 Dushanbe   Tajikistan President Emomali Rahmon 14 October 20 October 5 9 107   Kazakhstan (KAZ) [7]
2005 Tashkent   Uzbekistan Cancelled
V 2021 Postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic

Sports edit

Thirteen sports were presented in Central Asian Games history.

Medal table edit

RankNationGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1  Kazakhstan (KAZ)368232129729
2  Uzbekistan (UZB)153192158503
3  Kyrgyzstan (KGZ)58122198378
4  Tajikistan (TJK)20285098
5  Turkmenistan (TKM)22589116
Totals (5 entries)6015996241824

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ Games page Archived 2013-10-14 at the Wayback Machine of the website of the Olympic Council of Asia; retrieved 2010-07-09.
  2. ^ Morgan, Liam (15 February 2020). "Central Asian Games set to be revived after officials schedule event for 2021". Inside the Games. Retrieved 20 February 2020.
  3. ^ Central Asian Games set to be revived after officials schedule event for 2021
  4. ^ "Tashkent 1995". Archived from the original on 2018-02-28. Retrieved 2019-08-25.
  5. ^ "Alma-Ata 1997". Archived from the original on 2018-02-28. Retrieved 2019-08-26.
  6. ^ "OCA Regional Games". Archived from the original on 2010-06-13. Retrieved 2009-11-03.
  7. ^ "Dushanbe 2003". Olympic Council of Asia. Archived from the original on 2010-06-13. Retrieved 2010-10-17.
  • Bell, Daniel (2003). Encyclopedia of International Games (Pg. 108). McFarland and Company, Inc. Publishers, Jefferson, North Carolina. ISBN 0-7864-1026-4.