Asian Games'98 to field a record 43 national teams

JAKARTA (Agencies): Despite Asia's economic crisis, the 13th Asian Games will live up to its billing as the last great sports festival of the century as all 43 members of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) will be participating in the event to be held in Bangkok from Dec. 6 to Dec. 20.

The Bangkok Asian Games Organizing Committee (BAGOC) said in its press release available to The Jakarta Post on Tuesday that for the first time in history of the games, all members of the OCA will send their representatives.

"This ensures that Asian Games is the largest regional sporting event in the world and second only to the Olympic Games in total size," the release said.

The games also sees an increase in the number of sports, athletes and officials.

Following the Sept. 10 deadline for all countries to submit their entries by number to the BAGOC, 41 countries had committed to sending athletes with only Afghanistan and Palestine unable to send athletes.

However, to maintain the spirit of sportsmanship and further promote the Olympic family's unity, the OCA has agreed to sponsor athletes from the two countries to ensure that all members are present in Bangkok for the 13th Asiad.

With the receipt of all the applications from OCA member countries, it means that 11,048 athletes and officials will converge in Bangkok in December.

The total comprises 8,678 athletes (5,989 men and 2,780 women) and 2,370 officials. These athletes will compete for 377 gold medals in 36 sports with a further 14 gold medals available in two demonstration sports.

Host Thailand provides the largest contingent of 1,068 athletes and officials and is the only country to take part in all sports during the Games. The smallest contingent is provided by Bhutan, which will send 15 athletes who will take part only in taekwondo and archery.

The other contingents include China (930), South Korea (767), Chinese Taipei (641), Japan (638), the Philippines (593), India (373), Singapore (349), Malaysia (320), Sri Lanka (298), Hong Kong (294), Qatar (237), Indonesia (235), North Korea (229), Pakistan (165), Oman (82), Saudi Arabia (74) and Kuwait (49).

As expected, track and field is the sport offering the most athletes with 893 (558 men and 335 women) who are challenging for 45 gold medals.

The soccer competition has 684 (540 men and 144 women) competing for two gold medals (men and women). Soccer is closely followed by swimming with 678 athletes (420 men and 258 women) competing for 39 gold medals in swimming, diving, synchronized swimming and water polo.

Some of the lesser known sports in Asia have attracted the fewest entries with only 36 competitors taking part in squash, 70 in Indian sport Kabaddi and 77 in soft tennis.

The two exhibition events are dance sport (ballroom dancing) and amateur Muay Thai (Thai kick boxing). They have attracted 48 and nine competitors respectively.