South Asian Games
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South Asian Games (also known as SAF Games or SAG & formerly known as South Asian Federation Games) are a bi-annual multi-sport event held among the athletes from South Asia. The governing body of these games is South Asian Sports Council(SASC), formed in 1983. At present, SAG are joined by eight members namely Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka. India have been regarded as the champions, considering that they have always ranked 1st.
The first South Asian Games were hosted by Kathmandu, Nepal in 1983 and have since been held every two years except for some occasions. In 2004, it was decided in the 32nd meeting of South Asian Sports Council to rename the games from South Asian Federation Games to South Asian Games as the officials believed the word ‘Federation’ was diminishing the emphasis on event and acting as a barrier in attracting crowd.[1] These Games are often hyped as the South Asian version of Olympic Games.
[edit] Cultural Value
The SAF Games also helped in promoting cultural exchanges between the member countries. Devoid of any cultural, religious racial or political barriers, the member countries gather together under one banner to create a healthy disciplined show of sportsmanship. The hymn of the Federation clearly expresses the message of goodwill, brotherhood, peace and prosperity:
Sports is our life, Unity our strength Our skills shine through perseverance SAF will prosper through peace and stability, Keep your spirit higher through sports forever!
Undoubtedly, sports is a unique way to break down the barriers of hostility and breed the spirit that brings nations closer together. The motto also signifies the same thought:
PEACE, PERSEVERANCE, PROGRESS
(Athletics), Swimming, Field Hockey, Football, Volleyball Boxing and other smaller team sports are included in the games, every time South Asian Federation added at least 10 sports discipline to above event. Due to a lack of sporting competition among the nations, this multi event sport is seldom of world standards.
[edit] Venues
| Year | Games | Host City | Country |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | I | Kathmandu |  Nepal |
| 1985 | II | Dhaka |  Bangladesh |
| 1987 | III | Calcutta |  India |
| 1989 | IV | Islamabad |  Pakistan |
| 1991 | V | Colombo |  Sri Lanka |
| 1993 | VI | Dhaka | Bangladesh |
| 1995 | VII | Madras | India |
| 1999 | VIII | Kathmandu | Nepal |
| 2004 | IX | Islamabad | Pakistan |
| 2006 | X | Colombo | Sri Lanka |
| 2008 | XI | Dhaka | Bangladesh |
[edit] 1ST SAF GAMES - 1984 KATHMANDU (NEPAL)
[edit] Sports
[edit] Countrywise medal Summary
| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | India |
44 | 28 | 16 | 88 |
| 2 | Sri Lanka |
7 | 11 | 19 | 37 |
| 3 | Pakistan |
5 | 3 | 2 | 10 |
| 4 | Nepal |
4 | 12 | 8 | 24 |
| 5 | Bangladesh |
2 | 8 | 13 | 23 |
| 6 |  Bhutan |
0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| 7 |  Maldives |
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Total | 62 | 62 | 61 | 185 |
[edit] 2ND SAF GAMES - 1985 DHAKA (BANGLADESH)
[edit] Sports
[edit] Countrywise medal Summary
| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | India |
62 | 31 | 14 | 107 |
| 2 | Pakistan |
21 | 26 | 12 | 59 |
| 3 | Bangladesh |
9 | 17 | 38 | 64 |
| 4 | Sri Lanka |
2 | 7 | 9 | 18 |
| 5 | Nepal |
1 | 9 | 22 | 32 |
| 6 | Bhutan |
0 | 0 | 4 | 4 |
| 7 | Maldives |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 94 | 91 | 99 | 284 |
[edit] 3RD SAF GAMES - 1987 CALCUTTA (INDIA)
[edit] Sports
[edit] Countrywise medal Summary
| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | India |
91 | 45 | 19 | 155 |
| 2 | Pakistan |
16 | 39 | 14 | 66 |
| 3 | Sri Lanka |
4 | 7 | 23 | 34 |
| 4 | Bangladesh |
3 | 20 | 31 | 54 |
| 5 | Nepal |
2 | 7 | 33 | 42 |
| 6 | Bhutan |
0 | 1 | 5 | 6 |
| 7 | Maldives |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 116 | 116 | 125 | 357 |
[edit] 4TH SAF GAMES - 1989 ISLAMABAD (PAKISTAN)
[edit] Sports
[edit] Countrywise medal Summary
| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | India |
61 | 43 | 20 | 124 |
| 2 | Pakistan |
42 | 33 | 22 | 97 |
| 3 | Sri Lanka |
6 | 10 | 21 | 37 |
| 4 | Nepal |
1 | 13 | 32 | 46 |
| 5 | Bangladesh |
1 | 12 | 24 | 37 |
| 6 | Bhutan |
0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| 7 | Maldives |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 111 | 111 | 122 | 344 |
[edit] 5TH SAF GAMES - 1991 COLOMBO (SRI LANKA)
[edit] Sports
[edit] Countrywise medal Summary
| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | India |
64 | 59 | 41 | 164 |
| 2 | Sri Lanka |
44 | 34 | 40 | 118 |
| 3 | Pakistan |
28 | 32 | 25 | 85 |
| 4 | Bangladesh |
4 | 8 | 28 | 40 |
| 5 | Nepal |
2 | 8 | 29 | 39 |
| 6 | Maldives |
0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 7 | Bhutan |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 142 | 142 | 163 | 447 |
[edit] 6TH SAF GAMES - 1993 DHAKA (BANGLADESH)
[edit] Sports
[edit] Countrywise medal Summary
| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | India |
60 | 46 | 31 | 137 |
| 2 | Pakistan |
23 | 22 | 20 | 65 |
| 3 | Sri Lanka |
20 | 22 | 39 | 81 |
| 4 | Bangladesh |
11 | 19 | 32 | 62 |
| 5 | Nepal |
1 | 6 | 15 | 22 |
| 6 | Bhutan |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 7 | Maldives |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 115 | 115 | 137 | 367 |
[edit] 7TH SAF GAMES - 1995 MADRAS (INDIA)
[edit] Sports
[edit] Countrywise medal Summary
| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | India |
106 | 60 | 19 | 185 |
| 2 | Sri Lanka |
16 | 25 | 53 | 94 |
| 3 | Pakistan |
10 | 33 | 36 | 79 |
| 4 | Bangladesh |
11 | 19 | 32 | 62 |
| 5 | Nepal |
7 | 17 | 34 | 58 |
| 6 | Bhutan |
0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| 7 | Maldives |
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Total | 143 | 143 | 161 | 447 |
[edit] 8TH SAF GAMES - 1999 KATHMANDU (NEPAL)
[edit] Sports
[edit] Countrywise medal Summary
| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | India |
102 | 58 | 37 | 197 |
| 2 | Nepal |
31 | 10 | 24 | 65 |
| 3 | Sri Lanka |
16 | 42 | 62 | 120 |
| 4 | Pakistan |
10 | 36 | 30 | 76 |
| 5 | Bangladesh |
2 | 10 | 35 | 47 |
| 6 | Bhutan |
1 | 6 | 7 | 14 |
| 7 | Maldives |
0 | 0 | 4 | 4 |
| Total | 162 | 162 | 199 | 523 |
[edit] 9TH SAF GAMES - 2004 ISLAMABAD (PAKISTAN)
The 9th SAF Games was scheduled in 2001 in Islamabad . This was postponed thrice due the war in neghbouring Afghanistan. This finally took place in 2004. In the 2004 Islamabad SAF Games , Afghanistan became the 8th nation to participate in the games and showed good results by winning 1 gold, 3 silver and 28 bronze medals . This was a great achievement for a country which was torn part by more than 2 decades of war. After the fall of Taliban , the new government gave enough opportunities to various talents in the country . The SAF Games gave an ideal platform for the athletes from war strike country to show their talents and skills.
[edit] Sports
[edit] Countrywise medal Summary
| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | India |
103 | 57 | 32 | 192 |
| 2 | Pakistan |
38 | 55 | 50 | 143 |
| 3 | Sri Lanka |
17 | 32 | 57 | 106 |
| 4 | Nepal |
7 | 6 | 20 | 33 |
| 5 | Bangladesh |
3 | 13 | 24 | 40 |
| 6 |  Afghanistan |
1 | 3 | 28 | 32 |
| 7 | Bhutan |
1 | 3 | 2 | 6 |
| 8 | Maldives |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 170 | 169 | 213 | 552 |
[edit] 10TH SAF GAMES - 2006 COLOMBO (SRI LANKA)
From 2006 this games will also be called as South Asian Games. At Sugathadasa Stadium. See main article 2006 South Asian Games.
[edit] Sports
[edit] Countrywise medal Summary
| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | India |
118 | 69 | 47 | 234 |
| 2 | Pakistan |
43 | 44 | 71 | 158 |
| 3 | Sri Lanka |
37 | 63 | 78 | 178 |
| 4 | Nepal |
9 | 15 | 31 | 55 |
| 5 | Afghanistan |
6 | 7 | 16 | 29 |
| 6 | Bangladesh |
3 | 15 | 34 | 52 |
| 7 | Bhutan |
0 | 3 | 10 | 13 |
| 8 | Maldives |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 216 | 216 | 287 | 719 |
[edit] 11TH SAF GAMES - 2008 DHAKA (BANGLADESH)
The 11th SAF Games are scheduled to be held in Bangladesh's capital city Dhaka.This edition will feature cricket for the first time. Hockey has been omitted from the program. The South Asian Olympic Council met on February 22, 2008, and decided to postpone the 11th SAF Games to November - December, 2009.
[edit] See also
- South Asian winter games
- Asian Games
- Southeast Asian Games
- South American Games
[edit] References
- ^ It will be South Asian Games.Rediff news.April 2, 2004.
[edit] External links
- SAF 99 Kathmandu
- Pakistan's performance in South Asian Games
- Maiden South Asian Winter Games
- 2008 South Asian Games to introduce cricket
| South Asian Games |
| Kathmandu 1984 | Dhaka 1985 | Kolkata 1987 | Islamabad 1989 | Colombo 1991 | Dhaka 1993 | Chennai 1995 | Kathmandu 1999 | Islamabad 2004 | Colombo 2006 |
