At Asian Games, rivalries not always about sports

Welcome to the Asian Games, where, as the organizers put it, “Diversity Shines.” Asia is rife with rivalries. Most of them aren’t friendly. Host South Korea has managed to bring together all 45 member states of the Olympic Council of Asia for a spectacle of sports that over the next two weeks will put the spotlight on more than 10,000 athletes vying for 439 gold medals. But along with being the premier sporting event for the world’s most populous region — 4.5 billion at last count — the games offer a snapshot of Asia itself.

But to me also we have to understand what was the real problem … Asia — east, west, central and south — there are a lot of different cultures in this continent.

OCA President Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah regarding three participants who were expelled from the games for groping local volunteers

For starters, this year’s host country is technically still at war with its neighbors north of the Demilitarized Zone. On Friday, a South Korean Navy ship fired warning shots at a North Korean patrol boat that had apparently violated their sea border. China has territory disputes with just about all of its neighbors. Japan has issues not only with China, but also with the host, with Russia (not a competitor here) and with Taiwan. Even at friendly off-the-field events, it seems, time hasn’t done much to heal old animosities.

Sports Asian Games