The spirit of the Asian Games has b

The spirit of the Asian Games has been built up over a long period of time, and passed from one Games to the next spreading messages of unity, warmth, and friendship through competitive sport. The warmth of the Asian Games comes not only from the symbolic flame, but from the relationships that are established among individual athletes, coaches, trainers, officials, volunteers, and spectators who come together from many different backgrounds and cultures.
Just 11 countries and regions participated in the 1st Asian Games in New Delhi in 1951, with only six sports.The 15th Asian Games took place from December 1 through December 15, 2006, in Doha, capital of Qatar. More than 10,000 athletes, who represented 45 countries and regions, took part in 39 sports and 424 events of the Games, the most important event in Asia. Some new events such as chess and triathlon were also included in the Games.
The 15th Asian Games was organized at 34 sporting venues, including Khalifa Stadium, which hosted the opening and closing ceremonies. The Opening Ceremony of the 15th Asian Games, Doha 2006, at Khalifa Stadium, was the most spectacular opening of any Games with 50,000 people to get into Khalifa Stadium and more than one billion television viewers. The Doha Asian Games Organizing Committee (DAGOC) wanted to ensure that everybody who saw the ceremony would have a memory for life as suggested in the slogan “The Games of Your Life”. The 15th Asian Games was a successful sporting event that all attendees would never forget. Everyone is looking forward to the 16th Asian Games, which will be held in Guangzhou, China, from November 2 to November 18, 2010.