Time for us to join the Asian Games

australia will benefit for playing with more countries...it can show how great their athletes are...its just a game dont take it as australia will be colonized by asians. and asia is not just china...it have many sports powerhouse, like japan, south korea, iran, qatar, uae asian russian etc.

In 2007, the President of OCA, Sheikh Ahmed Al-Fahad Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah, rejected the proposal to allow 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 other NOCs in Oceania. I am agree to OCA President, but I like Australia to join Asian Games. I proposed a Asian & Oceania games as one. Hoping for Asian Oceania Games in he future. No Asian Games or Ocean Games... but an Asian Ocean Games! -from Philippines

what about commonwealth countries?????

I think the Asian olympic Council refused the Australian wants to join the Asian Games because it will be unfair to the Ocenian Olympic Committee. In fact, Asian Games is the second largest sporting event in the world after the Olympics. Another, global economy is shifting now to asian countries. Also, some of the Asian countries will be richer and powerful than in Europe and America in near years. Eventhough, Asians are different in their cultures and beliefs, we still unite as one common goal. Interestingly, asian cultures are rich and well-preserved. I hate to see boastful Aussies talk about shit in Asia. Little do they know that time will come you will beg for this Asian countries. So if you want to join Asia, be humble and friendly. Asians do not discriminate any races. We welcome all people.

Notwithstanding the fading away of the Commonwealth and it's associated Games there would be even less Australian interest in the Asian Games particularly by the Aust olympic Commitee (the relevant body ) and the TV networks. I know SE asia well and there is not so much coverage of the Asiad and much more interest in other sporting events (ie soccer ) I can only see non Olympic sports ( such as snooker and 10 pin bowling ) bothering to send a fulll strength teami ie not athletics swimming cycling rowing sailing football hockey.etc......in fact not our main Olympic medal winning sports who plan their season around the world season (ie more or less the European season ) who would have little interest in competing in China in November ( with ,by the way ,some pretty questionable pro Chinese officiating in a number of events according to the Malaysian and Thai papers ) Too much grief with little upside . Maybe in another decade .

Asian game 2010 started today in China...Go and see..and u will know.. Asia is the future..not Europe or America We would love to welcome Australia to Asia..u will make Asia stronger..everyone win..I think

Uhhhhhhhh no. Asia wants Asia. NOT Australia. Cause we're cool like that

Yes, it is totally a waste of time to compete with countries like India.

Dorjee: the hell it is. In a growing world of 'globalism' our future is 'virtual' and anywhere we choose it to be. As our neighbours, yes it is worthwhile having cordial relations, but cultural ties - such as we have with UK, USA, Canada, NZ, etc are far more important and the lure of dollars from Asia should not make us forget that. Sovereign we may be (that's another topic altogether) but we are not racist - as you suggest 'White' Australians are. I am an immigrant from half European half Asian stock. I have no desire to see Australia go towards Asia and can think of no worse outcome. Asia wants Australia, we don't want them.

White Australians shud put aside this racist prejudice against Asia. Stand tall and kick the Queen out. You are a sovereign nation, not a colony of a European power thousands of miles away. Your future is in Asia.

Maybe by then India will start to truly realise their super power potential and relieve us of this terrible burden.

Financially, it would be much better for Australia to join/ participate in the Asian Games. There are lots of cities currently bidding to host the Asian games in 2019 and 2023. The hosting rights/ costs are well distributed. Whereas with the Commonwealth games, NO-ONE want to host these games except for Australia!! The BURDEN of hosting the commonwealth games has been placed on the Australian taxpayer!! Melbourne hosted the 2006 games and now the Gold Coast will be hosting the 2018 games - there were NO bids from Canada (last hosted in 1994), NZ (last hosted in 1990), South Africa (never hosted), Singapore (nover hosted). The 2018 games will cost the Australian tax-payer $1 billion! (see this article titled: "$1bn bill to host 2018 games" http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/bn-bill-to-host-2018-games/story-fn59niix-1225933550478 ) Commonwealth games do not attract much money from sponsorship or TV deals (unlike the olympics - NBC will pay London $1billion US for exclusive rights, then there's other broadcasters and sponsorship deals). NZ did a feasibility study for the 2018 games and predicted a 500-600 million dollar LOSS if Auckland were to host 2018! The South Africans (after hosting a great 2010 World Cup) are setting their sights higher and going for the 2020 Summer Olympics! Canada has decided to give the CWG the snub and will be hosting another regional games instead - Toronto will host the 2015 Pan American Games (hosted by Rio De Janeiro in 2007, which went onto win the 2016 Summer olympic bid). Also: Quebec City and possibly Calgary are preparing bids for the 2022 Winter Olympics (despite Vancouver having just hosted the 2010 edition). Singapore has just hosted the inaugral 2010 Youth Summer Olympics. Interesting how the for the 2023 Asian Games, we have a bid from Hong Kong (world financial centre and A grade city) and for 2018 CWG the Gold Coast's competitor is Hambantota, a small town in Sri-Lanka! I respect what the authorites are trying to do in SriLanka- inject cash and investment into a region devastated by the tsunami, and I wish them the best of luck with rebuilding their community, but the 2018 Hambantota bid is very unlikely to win, not after the headache that Delhi 2010 has given the 2010, they will be looking for a stable/ reliable bid (like Glasgow 2014). No doubt the CGF (Commonwealth games federation) will have to twist someone's arm to host 2022, then no doubt the games will be back in Australia as soon as 2026 or 2030, when the bill will have shot up to $2-3 billion. Just who is going to pay for it? The citizens of Adelaide? Or maybe Hobart?

Not a bad idea.

I understand why some people get a bit embarrassed about the Commonwealth games. A diverse group of countries who are only connected by being former British colonies. It is a bit anachronistic and probably won’t last pass the death of QE2. However, if you can set aside your cringe about that aspect, the Commonwealth games stack up pretty well in terms or performance, despite all of the bad press. It is a given that the Olympics, being a worldwide competition, would be the highest quality and obviously the Commonwealth games suffers in comparison. However there are a number of other regional games and in comparison, shows the Commonwealth games in a better light. There are, or have been Pan-American, European, Pan-African and Asian games or championships. The Commonwealth stacks up pretty well when you compare the achievements of Commonwealth countries at the Olympics against other regional groupings. A quick look at results from Beijing in track and field, cycling and swimming shows Commonwealth countries out performing or matching most other groupings . If you take out China, who still have a question mark regarding how they go about things, Asian countries perform inconsistently on the world stage. From memory their soccer teams have also achieved little at World Cups. Australian soccer chose to join Asia as a desperate remedy for their struggle for prominence in this country, no other sports need to follow. We are a Pacific nation and while we should engage with Asia at every level as often as we can, we should not join them at the Asian games. There is no cultural or geographic reason and definitely no sporting reason to become an Asian country.

The problem with the Commonwealth Games is that Australia invests ridiculous amounts of money in its athletes (and in sending the second largest team) while other countries can't, or in the case of the UK and Canada, are simply to sensible to do. So we move to Asia because we think we are part of Asia now and proceed to thrash another group of small or underfunded nations (except for the one big fish in that particular sea) with who we share no or very little common cultural traits or history. I can't say this excites me a great deal.