As the biggest multi-sport games after the Olympic Games, the Asian Games is the most prestigious event organised by the Olympic Council of Asia. Similar to the Olympic Games, the Asian Games are held every four years, with the 17th edition to be held in Incheon in 2014.

The Asian Games follow the sports programme of the Olympic Games, with swimming and athletics as the core sports, as well as featuring disciplines which reflect the diverse sporting culture of the continent such as sepaktakraw (South East Asia), kabaddi (South Asia) and wushu (East Asia).

The inaugural Asian Games took place in New Delhi, India, in 1951 with 11 countries competing in six sports. The 16th Asian Games in Guangzhou, China, in 2010 featured 45 countries and regions competing in 42 sports, highlighting the growth of the Olympic Movement in Asia.