Uniquely focused on the Asian Games, this is an historical analysis of the relationship between sport and national identity in Asia, tracing the development of the Games from 1913 to 2006 and relating this history to the wider geopolitical context.

Prologue: The Origin of the Asian Games: Power and Politics. Fan Hong. 1. India and the Asian Games: From Infancy to Maturity. Mithlesh K. Singh Sisodia. 2. Indonesia and the Asian Games: Sport, Nationalism and the 'New Order'. Rusli Lutan. 3. The Politicization of Sport: GANEFO - A Case Study. Rusli Lutan and Fan Hong. 4. Thailand and the Asian Games: Coping with Crisis. Sombat Karnjanakit and Supitr Samahito. 5. Iran and the Asian Games: The Largest Sports Event in the Middle East. Ali-Mohammad Amirtash. 6. South Korea and the Asian Games: The First Step to the World. Eunha Koh. 7. Communist China and the Asian Games 1951-1990: The Thirty-nine Year Struggle to Victory. Fan Hong. 8. 2006 Qatar Asian Games: A 'Modernization' Project from Above?. Mahfoud Amara. Epilogue: Nationalism, Orientalism and Globalization: The Future of the Asian Games. Fan Hong. Table. The Far Eastern Championship Games 1913-1934. Huan Xiong. Table. The Asian Games 1951-2002. Ping Wu.