2006 Asian Games
Encyclopedia
The 15th Asian Games
, officially known as the XV Asiad, is Asia
's Olympic
-style sporting event that was held in Doha
, Qatar
from December 1 to December 15, 2006. Doha was the first city in its region and only the second in West Asia (following Tehran
in 1974
) to host the games. There were 46 disciplines from 39 events scheduled to be contested.
It was the first time that all 45 member nations of the Olympic Council of Asia took part in this event. Also, Eurosport
broadcast the event, marking the first time that the Europe
an continent could watch this Asian sporting event.
The Games were marred by the death of South Korea
n equestrian rider Kim Hyung-chil
in a fatal accident during competition.
, South Korea
. The voting involved the 41 members of the Olympic Council of Asia
and consisted of three rounds, each round eliminating one of the bidding cities. After the first round, New Delhi
was eliminated, with only two votes. The second round of voting, with three remaining candidates, gave Doha as the result.
Under the regulations of the OCA, a candidate which gains half of the available votes will automatically be selected as the host, and the remaining rounds of voting will be cancelled. When Doha gained 22 out of 41 votes this meant they were selected to host the 2006 Asian Games. Most of Qatar's votes came from the unanimous support from West Asian countries.
After the major upset, Malaysia and Hong Kong, China expressed their disappointment. Malaysia said that the selection of Doha was ridiculous and that the selection of Doha was influenced by Qatar's economic wealth.
. The plans for the Doha 2006 torch relay were revealed by the Doha Asian Games Organising Committee on January 20, 2006.
The relay itself started on October 8, 2006 with a brief ceremony at the Doha Golf Club "Flame of Hospitality". With the involvement of over 3000 persons, the torch crossed eight former Asian Games host countries and four Gulf Cooperation Council member states. The first pit stop was in New Delhi on October 11, 2006. In total the relay passed through 13 countries and 23 cities. The relay, which has a distance of 50,000 kilometres in 55 days, is the longest relay in the history of the Asian Games.
Below is a list of places visited by the torch:
The torch travelled back to Doha held by Sheikh Joan Bin Hamad AL-Thani, and the journey around the city itself started on November 25, 2006 and lasted until the opening ceremony of the Games.
, as the official mascot of the 15th Asian Games Doha 2006.
The opening ceremony was viewed by 50,000 spectators in the Khalifa International Stadium
, and famous guests such as the International Olympic Committee
's Jacques Rogge
, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh and Syrian President Bashar Assad. The opening ceremony was directed by David Atkins
, who conducted the 2000 Summer Olympics opener
.
The opening ceremony presented the culture of the Arab World
as well as other Asia
n cultures and their histories. Several musical artists performed. The ceremony ended with the lighting of the torch on the Aspire Tower
.
, Baseball
, Basketball
, Football (Soccer)
, Table tennis
, and Volleyball
, which had preliminaries before the opening ceremony.
South Korean equestrian
athlete Kim Hyung-chil
died after falling off his horse on the morning of December 7 during the cross country competition which took place in the rain. The accident occurred at jump number eight during the cross-country stage of the three-day eventing competition. After the horse, named Bundaberg Black, rolled over him, he was taken to the hospital, with his death later confirmed by the organizing committee.
Kim died shortly before noon Qatar time .
According to South Korea National Olympic Committee president Kim Jung Kil, sources on the course said that the horse mistimed his jump in the wet conditions and slipped. South Korean officials are asking for an inquiry to determine if mismanagement or rain was the cause of the death.
"In my professional opinion, neither the weather nor the footing had any bearing on this accident. If the horse falls, it's like two tons of bricks falling on you. There is nothing you can do about it," said Andy Griffiths, the Games event's technical overseer.
Kim's father was an equestrian
athlete for South Korea in the 1964 Summer Olympics
in Tokyo
and the younger Kim won a silver medal at the 2002 Asian Games
in Busan
on the same horse.
This is the eighth death linked to the 2006 Asian Games, and the first involving an athlete.
to a book of Arabian stories. "A Thousand and One Nights" featured stories such as Haroun Al-Raschid and the Dervish, Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves, Sinbad the Sailor
and Aladdin and his Marvellous Lamp. The show used an array of dancers, horses, and special effects to portray the different stories. After that, the segment of "Land of the Oryx" was shown with the whirling of dance.
All 45 nations' athletes entered the stadium after the show's end. Park Tae-Hwan
was announced as the best athlete of the Games, having won seven medals, three of them being golds from the swimming competitions. The ceremony also included a minute of silence in homage to the South Korean equestrian rider Kim Hyung-chil
, who died during the competition.
After that, the OCA President Sheikh
Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah
officially announced the Games closed and passed the OCA flag to the mayor of Guangzhou
, Zhang Guangning, as the host of the next Asian Games in 2010.
A special 10 minutes in the final part of the closing ceremony showed a new China, known as "Oriental Charm", which featured Chinese culture. Followed by the theme song of the Game "Triumph of the One" sung by Lea Salonga
from the Philippines
. Afterwards, fireworks blazed around the stadium and brought the curtains down on the Games. The breath-taking fireworks display is also one of the most expensive fireworks display in multi-sports event.
contributed.
attack.
According to one IOC insider who arrived back at his hotel soaked, this incident hurt the chances of Doha hosting the 2016 Summer Olympics
, which Doha applied for on 25 October 2007, and lost on 4 June 2008 when they were eliminated from the pool. Transportation was one of the crucial factors involved in the decision process.
women's football team in early November, the women's football competition was forced to redraw to ensure both groups had an equal number of teams. Not much later, Turkmenistan
announced their withdrawal due to the lack of options available in Qatar. Yemen
also withdrew because the team was unable to afford a drug test after some of their players were accused of doping.
India made big changes to its team close to the opening ceremonies. On November 22, 2006, the Indian sports dropped eight of the 32 events they had previously announced that they would be contesting in the Games. The dropped events were football, basketball, handball, sepak takraw
, triathlon, ten-pin bowling and rugby sevens. The events were dropped due to the lack of medal hopes and to cut costs. As a result, 387 athletes were be sent to Doha instead of the original 589 proposed by the Indian Olympic Association
.
While volleyball also had three teams withdraw from the Games, Palestine withdrew due to the travelling difficulties caused by the closure of the Gaza Strip
border. Indonesia and Turkmenistan also withdrew from the tournament, for unknown reasons, just hours before their first preliminary round match.
Asian Games
The Asian Games, officially known as Asiad, is a multi-sport event held every four years among athletes from all over Asia. The Games were regulated by the Asian Games Federation from the first Games in New Delhi, India, until the 1978 Games. Since the 1982 Games they have been organised by the...
, officially known as the XV Asiad, is Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
's Olympic
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
-style sporting event that was held in Doha
Doha
Doha is the capital city of the state of Qatar. Located on the Persian Gulf, it had a population of 998,651 in 2008, and is also one of the municipalities of Qatar...
, Qatar
Qatar
Qatar , also known as the State of Qatar or locally Dawlat Qaṭar, is a sovereign Arab state, located in the Middle East, occupying the small Qatar Peninsula on the northeasterly coast of the much larger Arabian Peninsula. Its sole land border is with Saudi Arabia to the south, with the rest of its...
from December 1 to December 15, 2006. Doha was the first city in its region and only the second in West Asia (following Tehran
Tehran
Tehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to...
in 1974
1974 Asian Games
The 7th Asian Games were held from September 1, 1974 to September 16, 1974 in Tehran, Iran. The Aryamehr sports complex was made for the Games. The Asian Games were hosted in the Middle East for the first time...
) to host the games. There were 46 disciplines from 39 events scheduled to be contested.
It was the first time that all 45 member nations of the Olympic Council of Asia took part in this event. Also, Eurosport
Eurosport
Eurosport is a pan-European television sport network operated by French broadcaster TF1 Group. The network of channels are available in 59 countries, in 20 different languages providing viewers with European and international sporting events...
broadcast the event, marking the first time that the Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an continent could watch this Asian sporting event.
The Games were marred by the death of South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
n equestrian rider Kim Hyung-chil
Kim Hyung-chil
Kim Hyung-chil was a South Korean horse rider. He was a silver medalist in the three day team event at the 2002 Asian Games in Busan, and was the oldest member of South Korea's equestrian team...
in a fatal accident during competition.
Bid
On November 12, 2000, voting for the 2006 venue took place in BusanBusan
Busan , formerly spelled Pusan is South Korea's second largest metropolis after Seoul, with a population of around 3.6 million. The Metropolitan area population is 4,399,515 as of 2010. It is the largest port city in South Korea and the fifth largest port in the world...
, South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
. The voting involved the 41 members of the Olympic Council of Asia
Olympic Council of Asia
The Olympic Council of Asia is a governing body of sports in Asia, currently with 45 member National Olympic Committees. The current president is Sheikh Fahad Al-Sabah. The oldest NOC is from Japan and Philippines, recognized by the International Olympic Committee in 1911; whereas East Timor is...
and consisted of three rounds, each round eliminating one of the bidding cities. After the first round, New Delhi
New Delhi
New Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is...
was eliminated, with only two votes. The second round of voting, with three remaining candidates, gave Doha as the result.
| 2006 Asian Games bidding results | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| City | NOC | Round 1 | Round 2 |
| Doha Doha Doha is the capital city of the state of Qatar. Located on the Persian Gulf, it had a population of 998,651 in 2008, and is also one of the municipalities of Qatar... |
 QatarQatar Qatar , also known as the State of Qatar or locally Dawlat Qaṭar, is a sovereign Arab state, located in the Middle East, occupying the small Qatar Peninsula on the northeasterly coast of the much larger Arabian Peninsula. Its sole land border is with Saudi Arabia to the south, with the rest of its... |
20 | 22 |
| Kuala Lumpur Kuala Lumpur Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million... |
 Malaysia |
13 | 13 |
| Hong Kong Hong Kong Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour... |
 Hong Kong, ChinaHong Kong Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour... |
6 | 6 |
| New Delhi New Delhi New Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is... |
 IndiaIndia India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world... |
2 | − |
Under the regulations of the OCA, a candidate which gains half of the available votes will automatically be selected as the host, and the remaining rounds of voting will be cancelled. When Doha gained 22 out of 41 votes this meant they were selected to host the 2006 Asian Games. Most of Qatar's votes came from the unanimous support from West Asian countries.
After the major upset, Malaysia and Hong Kong, China expressed their disappointment. Malaysia said that the selection of Doha was ridiculous and that the selection of Doha was influenced by Qatar's economic wealth.
Torch relay
The torch relay has been integral to the Asian Games since 19581958 Asian Games
The 3rd Asian Games were held from May 24 to June 1, 1958 in Tokyo, Japan. A total number of 1,820 athletes, coming from 16 countries, competed in thirteen events at this Asiad. Debuting sports were field hockey, table tennis, tennis, and volleyball. Tokyo would go on to host the 1964 Summer...
. The plans for the Doha 2006 torch relay were revealed by the Doha Asian Games Organising Committee on January 20, 2006.
The relay itself started on October 8, 2006 with a brief ceremony at the Doha Golf Club "Flame of Hospitality". With the involvement of over 3000 persons, the torch crossed eight former Asian Games host countries and four Gulf Cooperation Council member states. The first pit stop was in New Delhi on October 11, 2006. In total the relay passed through 13 countries and 23 cities. The relay, which has a distance of 50,000 kilometres in 55 days, is the longest relay in the history of the Asian Games.
- IndiaIndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
– New DelhiNew DelhiNew Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is... -
South KoreaSouth KoreaThe Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
– BusanBusanBusan , formerly spelled Pusan is South Korea's second largest metropolis after Seoul, with a population of around 3.6 million. The Metropolitan area population is 4,399,515 as of 2010. It is the largest port city in South Korea and the fifth largest port in the world... -
PhilippinesPhilippinesThe Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
– ManilaManilaManila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,... -
JapanJapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
– HiroshimaHiroshimais the capital of Hiroshima Prefecture, and the largest city in the Chūgoku region of western Honshu, the largest island of Japan. It became best known as the first city in history to be destroyed by a nuclear weapon when the United States Army Air Forces dropped an atomic bomb on it at 8:15 A.M... -
ChinaPeople's Republic of ChinaChina , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
– BeijingBeijingBeijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
, GuangzhouGuangzhouGuangzhou , known historically as Canton or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of the Guangdong province in the People's Republic of China. Located in southern China on the Pearl River, about north-northwest of Hong Kong, Guangzhou is a key national transportation hub and trading port...
, Hong KongHong KongHong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, MacauMacauMacau , also spelled Macao , is, along with Hong Kong, one of the two special administrative regions of the People's Republic of China... -
IndonesiaIndonesiaIndonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
– JakartaJakartaJakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Officially known as the Special Capital Territory of Jakarta, it is located on the northwest coast of Java, has an area of , and a population of 9,580,000. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre... -
ThailandThailandThailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
– BangkokBangkokBangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom... -
IranIranIran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
– MashhadMashhadMashhad , is the second largest city in Iran and one of the holiest cities in the Shia Muslim world. It is also the only major Iranian city with an Arabic name. It is located east of Tehran, at the center of the Razavi Khorasan Province close to the borders of Afghanistan and Turkmenistan. Its...
, Esfahan, TehranTehranTehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to... -
OmanOmanOman , officially called the Sultanate of Oman , is an Arab state in southwest Asia on the southeast coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by the United Arab Emirates to the northwest, Saudi Arabia to the west, and Yemen to the southwest. The coast is formed by the Arabian Sea on the...
– SalalahSalalahSalalah , is the capital and seat of the governor or Wali of the southern Omani province of Dhofar. The population of Salalah was 197,169 in 2009....
, MuscatMuscat, OmanMuscat is the capital of Oman. It is also the seat of government and largest city in the Governorate of Muscat. As of 2008, the population of the Muscat metropolitan area was 1,090,797. The metropolitan area spans approximately and includes six provinces called wilayats...
, SoharSoharSohar is the most developed city in Sultanate of Oman outside the capital Muscat. It is about 200 kilometers north of Muscat. Sohar was an ancient capital of Oman and many believe it to be the birthplace of Sinbad the Sailor... -
United Arab EmiratesUnited Arab EmiratesThe United Arab Emirates, abbreviated as the UAE, or shortened to "the Emirates", is a state situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran.The UAE is a...
– HattaHattaHatta may refer to:* Hatta, Gaza, an Arab village in Palestine depopulated in 1948* Hatta, Madhya Pradesh, a village in Damoh District, Madhya Pradesh, India* the Hatta number, a dimensionless parameter in chemical reaction engineering...
, SharjahSharjah (city)Sharjah is the third largest and most populous city in the United Arab Emirates. It is located along the southern coast of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula.Sharjah is the seat of government of the emirate of Sharjah...
, DubaiDubaiDubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates . The emirate is located south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula and has the largest population with the second-largest land territory by area of all the emirates, after Abu Dhabi...
, Abu DhabiAbu DhabiAbu Dhabi , literally Father of Gazelle, is the capital and the second largest city of the United Arab Emirates in terms of population and the largest of the seven member emirates of the United Arab Emirates. Abu Dhabi lies on a T-shaped island jutting into the Persian Gulf from the central western... -
KuwaitKuwaitThe State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
– Kuwait CityKuwait City-Suburbs:Although the districts below are not usually recognized as suburbs, the following is a list of a few areas surrounding Kuwait city:Al-Salam ""السلام"" -Economy:... -
BahrainBahrain' , officially the Kingdom of Bahrain , is a small island state near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. It is ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family. The population in 2010 stood at 1,214,705, including 235,108 non-nationals. Formerly an emirate, Bahrain was declared a kingdom in 2002.Bahrain is...
– ManamaManamaManama is the capital and largest city of Bahrain, with an approximate population of 155,000 people.Long an important trading center in the Persian Gulf, Manama is home to a very diverse population...
The torch travelled back to Doha held by Sheikh Joan Bin Hamad AL-Thani, and the journey around the city itself started on November 25, 2006 and lasted until the opening ceremony of the Games.
Venues
- Al-Arabi Sports ClubGrand Hamad StadiumGrand Hamad Stadium, also known as the Al-Arabi Sports Club, is a multi-purpose stadium in Doha, Qatar. It is currently used mostly for football matches. The football team Al-Arabi SC play there. The stadium holds 15,000 people...
FencingFencingFencing, which is also known as modern fencing to distinguish it from historical fencing, is a family of combat sports using bladed weapons.Fencing is one of four sports which have been featured at every one of the modern Olympic Games...
, football (soccer)Football (soccer)Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
, rugby sevensRugby sevensRugby sevens, also known as seven-a-side or VIIs, is a variant of rugby union in which teams are made up of seven players, instead of the usual 15, with shorter matches. Rugby sevens is administered by the International Rugby Board , the body responsible for rugby union worldwide...
. table tennisTable tennisTable tennis, also known as ping-pong, is a sport in which two or four players hit a lightweight, hollow ball back and forth using table tennis rackets. The game takes place on a hard table divided by a net... - Al-Dana Club – BodybuildingBodybuildingBodybuilding is a form of body modification involving intensive muscle hypertrophy. An individual who engages in this activity is referred to as a bodybuilder. In competitive and professional bodybuilding, bodybuilders display their physiques to a panel of judges, who assign points based on their...
, chessChessChess is a two-player board game played on a chessboard, a square-checkered board with 64 squares arranged in an eight-by-eight grid. It is one of the world's most popular games, played by millions of people worldwide at home, in clubs, online, by correspondence, and in tournaments.Each player...
, weightliftingPowerliftingPowerlifting is a strength sport. It resembles the sport of Olympic weightlifting, as both disciplines involve lifting weights in three attempts. Powerlifting evolved from a sport known as 'odd lifts' which followed the same three attempt format but used a wide variety of events akin to Strongman... - Al-Gharrafa Sports Club – Football (soccer)Football (soccer)Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
, handballTeam handballHandball is a team sport in which two teams of seven players each pass a ball to throw it into the goal of the other team... - Al-Khor Road Course – cyclingCyclingCycling, also called bicycling or biking, is the use of bicycles for transport, recreation, or for sport. Persons engaged in cycling are cyclists or bicyclists...
- Al-Rayyan Sports Club – BaseballBaseballBaseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
, football (soccer)Football (soccer)Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
, hockeyField hockeyField Hockey, or Hockey, is a team sport in which a team of players attempts to score goals by hitting, pushing or flicking a ball into an opposing team's goal using sticks...
, volleyballVolleyballVolleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
, softballSoftballSoftball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand... - Al-Sadd Sports Club – Cue sports, football (soccer)Football (soccer)Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
, sepak takrawSepak takrawSepak takraw , or kick volleyball, is a sport native to the Malay-Thai Peninsula...
, water poloWater poloWater polo is a team water sport. The playing team consists of six field players and one goalkeeper. The winner of the game is the team that scores more goals. Game play involves swimming, treading water , players passing the ball while being defended by opponents, and scoring by throwing into a... - ASPIRE Academy for Sports ExcellenceASPIRE Academy for Sports ExcellenceASPIRE Dome is an indoor sporting arena located in Doha, Qatar, and the home of the ASPIRE Academy for Sports Excellence. The ASPIRE academy is a part of the Aspire Zone which also houses the Khalifa Stadium....
– gymnasticsGymnasticsGymnastics is a sport involving performance of exercises requiring physical strength, flexibility, agility, coordination, and balance. Internationally, all of the gymnastic sports are governed by the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique with each country having its own national governing body...
, badmintonBadmintonBadminton is a racquet sport played by either two opposing players or two opposing pairs , who take positions on opposite halves of a rectangular court that is divided by a net. Players score points by striking a shuttlecock with their racquet so that it passes over the net and lands in their...
, boxingBoxingBoxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
, canoeCanoeA canoe or Canadian canoe is a small narrow boat, typically human-powered, though it may also be powered by sails or small electric or gas motors. Canoes are usually pointed at both bow and stern and are normally open on top, but can be decked over A canoe (North American English) or Canadian...
, kayakKayakA kayak is a small, relatively narrow, human-powered boat primarily designed to be manually propelled by means of a double blade paddle.The traditional kayak has a covered deck and one or more cockpits, each seating one paddler...
, cyclingCyclingCycling, also called bicycling or biking, is the use of bicycles for transport, recreation, or for sport. Persons engaged in cycling are cyclists or bicyclists...
, kabaddiKabaddiKabaddi is a South Asian team sport...
, rhythmic gymnasticsRhythmic gymnasticsRhythmic gymnastics is a sport in which individuals or teams of competitors manipulate one or two pieces of apparatus: rope, clubs, hoop, ball, ribbon and Free . An individual athlete only manipulates 1 apparatus at a time...
, trampolineTrampolineA trampoline is a device consisting of a piece of taut, strong fabric stretched over a steel frame using many coiled springs. People bounce on trampolines for recreational and competitive purposes....
, wrestlingWrestlingWrestling is a form of grappling type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. A wrestling bout is a physical competition, between two competitors or sparring partners, who attempt to gain and maintain a superior position...
, wushuWushu (sport)The sport of wushu is both an exhibition and a full-contact sport derived from traditional Chinese martial arts. It was created in the People's Republic of China after 1949, in an attempt to nationalize the practice of traditional Chinese martial arts... - Basketball Indoor Hall – BasketballBasketballBasketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
- CornicheCornicheThe word corniche typically refers to a road on the side of a cliff or mountain, with the ground rising on one side of the road and falling away on the other...
– CyclingCyclingCycling, also called bicycling or biking, is the use of bicycles for transport, recreation, or for sport. Persons engaged in cycling are cyclists or bicyclists...
, athletics, triathlonTriathlonA triathlon is a multi-sport event involving the completion of three continuous and sequential endurance events. While many variations of the sport exist, triathlon, in its most popular form, involves swimming, cycling, and running in immediate succession over various distances... - Doha Golf Club – GolfGolfGolf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
- Doha Racing & Equestrian Club – EquestrianEquestrianismEquestrianism more often known as riding, horseback riding or horse riding refers to the skill of riding, driving, or vaulting with horses...
- Doha Sailing Club – SailingSailingSailing is the propulsion of a vehicle and the control of its movement with large foils called sails. By changing the rigging, rudder, and sometimes the keel or centre board, a sailor manages the force of the wind on the sails in order to move the boat relative to its surrounding medium and...
- Hamad Aquatic CentreHamad Aquatic CentreHamad Aquatic Centre is a large swimming pool complex in Doha, Qatar. As part of the Doha sports city that encompasses a number of other complexes in the area it was the venue for aquatic events at the 2006 Asian Games....
– DivingDivingDiving is the sport of jumping or falling into water from a platform or springboard, sometimes while performing acrobatics. Diving is an internationally-recognized sport that is part of the Olympic Games. In addition, unstructured and non-competitive diving is a recreational pastime.Diving is one...
, swimmingSwimming (sport)Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
, synchronised swimming - Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex – Soft TennisSoft TennisSoft tennis is a racket game played on a court of two halves, separated by a net. Like regular tennis, it is played by individuals or pairs , whose object is to hit the ball over the net, landing within the confines of the court, with the aim of preventing one's opponent from being able to hit it...
, squashSquash (sport)Squash is a high-speed racquet sport played by two players in a four-walled court with a small, hollow rubber ball...
, tennisTennisTennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all... - Khalifa StadiumKhalifa International StadiumKhalifa International Stadium or also known as National Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Doha, Qatar as part of the Doha Sports City complex, which also includes Aspire Academy, Hamad Aquatic Centre, and the Aspire Tower. It is named after Khalifa bin Hamad Al Thani, Qatar's former Emir...
– Athletics - Lusail Shooting Complex – ArcheryArcheryArchery is the art, practice, or skill of propelling arrows with the use of a bow, from Latin arcus. Archery has historically been used for hunting and combat; in modern times, however, its main use is that of a recreational activity...
, shootingShootingShooting is the act or process of firing rifles, shotguns or other projectile weapons such as bows or crossbows. Even the firing of artillery, rockets and missiles can be called shooting. A person who specializes in shooting is a marksman... - Mesaieed Endurance Course – Equestrian Endurance
- Qatar Bowling Centre – BowlingBowlingBowling Bowling Bowling (1375–1425; late Middle English bowle, variant of boule Bowling (1375–1425; late Middle English bowle, variant of boule...
- Qatar Sports ClubQatar Sports ClubQatar Sports Club is a sports club based in Doha, Qatar. It is best known for its football team that plays in the Qatari League.Qatar Sports Club players wear a yellow shirt and black shorts as their home kit and have the fourth largest stadium in Qatar, Qatar SC Stadium, which has a capacity of...
– Football (soccer)Football (soccer)Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
, judoJudois a modern martial art and combat sport created in Japan in 1882 by Jigoro Kano. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw or takedown one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an...
, karateKarateis a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Islands in what is now Okinawa, Japan. It was developed from indigenous fighting methods called and Chinese kenpō. Karate is a striking art using punching, kicking, knee and elbow strikes, and open-handed techniques such as knife-hands. Grappling, locks,...
, taekwondoTaekwondoTaekwondo is a Korean martial art and the national sport of South Korea. In Korean, tae means "to strike or break with foot"; kwon means "to strike or break with fist"; and do means "way", "method", or "path"... - The Sport City – Beach volleyballBeach volleyballBeach volleyball, or sand volleyball, is an Olympic team sport played by two teams of two players on a sand court divided by a net.Like volleyball, the object of the game is to send the ball over the net in order to ground it on the opponent’s court, and to prevent the same effort by the opponent....
- West Bay Lagoon – RowingRowing (sport)Rowing is a sport in which athletes race against each other on rivers, on lakes or on the ocean, depending upon the type of race and the discipline. The boats are propelled by the reaction forces on the oar blades as they are pushed against the water...
Mascot
The Doha Asian Games Organising Committee chose "Orry", a Qatari OryxArabian Oryx
The Arabian Oryx or White Oryx is a medium sized antelope with a distinct shoulder hump, long straight horns, and a tufted tail. It is a bovid, and the smallest member of Oryx genus, native to desert and steppe areas of the Arabian peninsula...
, as the official mascot of the 15th Asian Games Doha 2006.
Calendar
In the following calendar for the 2006 Asian Games, each blue box represents an event competition, such as a qualification round, on that day. The yellow boxes represent days during which medal-awarding finals for a sport were held.Opening ceremony
The opening ceremony was viewed by 50,000 spectators in the Khalifa International Stadium
Khalifa International Stadium
Khalifa International Stadium or also known as National Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Doha, Qatar as part of the Doha Sports City complex, which also includes Aspire Academy, Hamad Aquatic Centre, and the Aspire Tower. It is named after Khalifa bin Hamad Al Thani, Qatar's former Emir...
, and famous guests such as the International Olympic Committee
International Olympic Committee
The International Olympic Committee is an international corporation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president...
's Jacques Rogge
Jacques Rogge
Jacques Rogge, Count Rogge , is a Belgian sports bureaucrat. He is the eighth and current President of the International Olympic Committee .-Life and career:...
, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh and Syrian President Bashar Assad. The opening ceremony was directed by David Atkins
David Atkins
David Atkins, OAM was recognised in the 2003 Queen’s Birthday Honours with a Medal of the Order of Australia for services to the entertainment industry and is Australia’s most awarded producer, choreographer and director, and CEO of David Atkins Enterprises, a major-events production...
, who conducted the 2000 Summer Olympics opener
2000 Summer Olympics Opening Ceremony
The Opening Ceremony of the 2000 Summer Olympics was described by IOC President Juan Antonio Samaranch as the most beautiful ceremony the world has ever seen. Held on the evening of Friday 15 September 2000, the Opening Ceremony represented everything Australian, from sea creatures and flora/fauna...
.
The opening ceremony presented the culture of the Arab World
Arab world
The Arab world refers to Arabic-speaking states, territories and populations in North Africa, Western Asia and elsewhere.The standard definition of the Arab world comprises the 22 states and territories of the Arab League stretching from the Atlantic Ocean in the west to the Arabian Sea in the...
as well as other Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
n cultures and their histories. Several musical artists performed. The ceremony ended with the lighting of the torch on the Aspire Tower
Aspire Tower
The Aspire Tower is a tall tower-like skyscraper located in the Doha Sports City complex in Doha, Qatar. Designed by architect Hadi Simaan and AREP and engineer Ove Arup and Partners, the tower served as the focal point for the 15th Asian Games hosted by Qatar in December 2006.The Aspire Tower is...
.
Sports
The sport events contested at the 2006 Asian Games are listed below. Officially there are 46 disciplines from 38 sports in contention. All events listed started after the opening ceremony except BadmintonBadminton
Badminton is a racquet sport played by either two opposing players or two opposing pairs , who take positions on opposite halves of a rectangular court that is divided by a net. Players score points by striking a shuttlecock with their racquet so that it passes over the net and lands in their...
, Baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
, Basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, Football (Soccer)
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
, Table tennis
Table tennis
Table tennis, also known as ping-pong, is a sport in which two or four players hit a lightweight, hollow ball back and forth using table tennis rackets. The game takes place on a hard table divided by a net...
, and Volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
, which had preliminaries before the opening ceremony.
- Aquatics
- Diving
Diving at the 2006 Asian GamesDiving was contested at the 2006 Asian Games in Doha, Qatar from December 10 to December 14. Men's and women's individual and synchronized events were held... - Swimming
Swimming at the 2006 Asian GamesThe Swimming competition at the 2006 Asian Games took place December 2–9 at the Hamad Aquatic Centre in Doha, Qatar. It featured 38 events , all conducted in a long course pool.-Participating countries:... - Synchronized swimming
Synchronized swimming at the 2006 Asian GamesSynchronized swimming was contested from December 8 to December 9 at the 2006 Asian Games in Doha, Qatar. with all events taking place at the Hamad Aquatic Centre.-Medal table:-Medalists:-Duet:December 8-Team:December 9... - Water polo
Water polo at the 2006 Asian GamesWater polo was contested by men's teams at the 2006 Asian Games in Doha, Qatar from December 6 to December 14, 2006. Ten teams competed in two round robin groups...
-
- Archery
Archery at the 2006 Asian GamesArchery was competed at the 2006 Asian Games in Doha, Qatar. Men and women competed in both individual and team events with all competition taking place at the Lusail Archery Range from December 9 through December 13... - Athletics
Athletics at the 2006 Asian GamesAn Athletics competition was contested at the 2006 Asian Games in Doha, Qatar from December 7 to December 12. Twenty-three events were contested for the men while 22 were on the slate for the women. Only the 3000 Meter Steeplechase was not contested for by the women... - Badminton
Badminton at the 2006 Asian GamesBadminton was contested at the 2006 Asian Games in Doha, Qatar. Singles, doubles, and team events were contested for both men and women. Mixed Doubles were also contested. Competition took place from November 30 to December 9... - Baseball
Baseball at the 2006 Asian GamesBaseball was one of the many sports which was held at the 2006 Asian Games in Doha, Qatar beginning on November 29, 2006. Six East and Southeast Asian nations participated in the tournament. Chinese Taipei won its first ever baseball gold medal in the Asian Games when they mounted a ninth inning... - Basketball
Basketball at the 2006 Asian GamesBasketball at the 2006 Asian Games was the second early start among the sports in the games. It was played from November 23 to December 15, 2006. In this competition, 20 teams participated in the men's competition and 8 teams played in the women's tournament... - BodybuildingBodybuilding at the 2006 Asian GamesBodybuilding was an event which took place at the 2006 Asian Games in Doha, Qatar on December 8 and 9. The competition included only men's events for eight different weight categories...
- Bowling
Bowling at the 2006 Asian GamesBowling took place for the men's and women's individual, doubles, trios, and team events at the 2006 Asian Games in Doha, Qatar from December 3 to December 10... - Boxing
Boxing at the 2006 Asian GamesBoxing at the 2006 Asian Games took place in the Academy for Sports Excellence in Sports City, 8 kilometers to the west of Doha. The event was only open to men, and the bouts were contested over four rounds of two minutes each...
- Canoeing
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- Chess
Chess at the 2006 Asian GamesChess was contested at the 2006 Asian Games in Doha, Qatar from December 2 to December 14. Rapid Chess was held for men and women as well as a mixed Classical Chess competition... - Cue sportsCue sports at the 2006 Asian GamesThe cue sports of snooker, English billiards, and three-cushion carom for men, as well as eight-ball and nine-ball pool for both men and women, were contested at the 2006 Asian Games in Doha, Qatar from December 4 to December 11...
- Cycling
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Cycling at the 2006 Asian GamesCycling was contested at the 2006 Asian Games in Doha, Qatar. Road bicycle racing was held at the Cycling Street Circuit and the Al-Khor Circuit from December 3 to December 6, while Track cycling was contested at Aspire Hall 1 from December 9 to December 14...
- Road cycling
- Track cycling
- Equestrian
Equestrian at the 2006 Asian GamesEquestrian and Equestrian Endurance were contested at the 2006 Asian Games in Doha, Qatar. Equestrian was contested from December 4 to December 12. In this sport, men and women compete side by side, against one another. Equestrian Endurance was contested on December 14... - Fencing
Fencing at the 2006 Asian GamesFencing was contested at the 2006 Asian Games in Doha, Qatar from December 9 to December 14. Men's and women's competition took place in the Sabre, Foil, and Épée. Team competition also took place... - Football
Football at the 2006 Asian GamesFootball at the 2006 Asian Games was held in Doha, Qatar from November 18 to December 15, 2006. The opening match was played 14 days prior to the opening ceremony. In this tournament, some 30 teams played in the men's competition, and 8 teams participated in women's competition.Turkmenistan, and... - Golf
Golf at the 2006 Asian GamesGolf was contested at the 2006 Asian Games in Doha, Qatar. Men's and women's individual and team events were played at the Doha Golf Club over four rounds from December 8 to December 11. The men played at 7181 yards with a par 72... - Gymnastics
_pictogram.svg.png)
Gymnastics at the 2006 Asian GamesGymnastics was contested at the 2006 Asian Games in Doha, Qatar. Artistic gymnastics took place from December 2 to December 6. Rhythmic gymnastics took place on December 9 and 10, while Trampoline was contested on December 11 and 12...
- Artistic gymnastics
- Rhythmic gymnastics
- Trampoline gymnastics
- Handball
Handball at the 2006 Asian GamesThe handball events at the 2006 Asian Games were held in Doha, Qatar between 3 December and 14 December 2006. It was the seventh time handball was included at the Asian Games... - Hockey
Hockey at the 2006 Asian GamesThe field hockey tournament at the 2006 Asian Games was held from December 2, 2006 to December 14, 2006 in Al-Rayyan Hockey Field.In this event, 10 teams participated in men's events and 7 teams participated in women's events.-Medal table:... - Judo
Judo at the 2006 Asian GamesJudo competed in eight different weight classes for men and women at the 2006 Asian Games in Doha, Qatar. All competition held in the Qatar Sports Club Indoor Hall.-Medal table:-Men:-Women:-−60 kg:December 5-−66 kg:December 4... - Kabaddi
Kabaddi at the 2006 Asian GamesKabaddi was contested by five teams at the 2006 Asian Games in Doha, Qatar from December 2 to December 6. The competition took place at Aspire Hall 4.-Medal table:-Medalists:-Round robin:------------------------------------... - Karate
Karate at the 2006 Asian GamesKarate competed by men and women at the 2006 Asian Games in Doha, Qatar. Kata contested along with Kumite in seven weight classes for men and four for women... - Rowing
Rowing at the 2006 Asian GamesRowing competed at the 2006 Asian Games in Doha, Qatar. Men's and women's singles, doubles, and fours competition took place at the West Bay Lagoon from December 3 to December 7... - Rugby
- Sailing
Sailing at the 2006 Asian GamesSailing was contested at the 2006 Asian Games from December 5 to December 13. Competition took place in various sailing disciplines at the Doha Sailing Club.-Medal table:-Men:-Women:-Open:-Mistral lightweight:December 5–11... - Sepaktakraw
Sepaktakraw at the 2006 Asian GamesSepaktakraw was contested at the 2006 Asian Games in Doha, Qatar by both men and women. Team, Regu, and Doubles competitions are all involved in the Sepaktakraw competition, with all games taking place at Al-Sadd Indoor Hall.-Medal table:-Medalists:... - Shooting
Shooting at the 2006 Asian GamesShooting was contested at the 2006 Asian Games in Doha, Qatar from December 2 to December 8, 2006. Men's and women's competitions were held in Air Pistol, Air Rifle, Running Target, Pistol, Prone, Skeet, and Trap... - Softball
Softball at the 2006 Asian GamesSoftball was contested by five East Asian countries at the 2006 Asian Games at Doha, Qatar from December 10 to December 14, 2006. All games will be played at the Al-Rayyan Baseball and Softball Venue.-Medal table:-Medalists:-Preliminary:... - Soft tennis
Soft tennis at the 2006 Asian GamesSoft tennis was a discipline of the tennis competitions at the 2006 Asian Games. Competition took place from December 2 to December 8. All events were held at Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex.-Medal table:-Medalists:-Group A:...
- Squash
Squash at the 2006 Asian GamesSquash was contested from December 10 to December 14 at the 2006 Asian Games in Doha, Qatar. Competition consists of men's and women's singles competition with all matches to be played at the Khalifa Squash Centre.-Medal table:-Medalists:... - Table tennis
Table tennis at the 2006 Asian GamesTable Tennis was contested by men and women at the 2006 Asian Games in Doha, Qatar from November 29 to December 7. It was one of six sports to begin prior to the Opening Ceremonies on December 1... - Taekwondo
Taekwondo at the 2006 Asian GamesTaekwondo took place from December 7 to December 10 at the 2006 Asian Games in Doha, Qatar. Men's and women's competitions were held in eight weight categories for each... - TennisTennis at the 2006 Asian GamesTennis were contested at the 2006 Asian Games in Doha, Qatar from December 2 to December 14, 2006. Tennis had team, doubles, and singles events for men and women, as well as a mixed doubles competition. The tennis competition was held at the Khalifa International Tennis Complex.-Medal summary:Also...
- Triathlon
Triathlon at the 2006 Asian GamesTriathlon for both men and women were contested on December 8 at the 2006 Asian Games in Doha, Qatar. Both men and women competed on the Corniche Triathlon Course. This is the first Asian Games for the Triathlon event... - Volleyball
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Volleyball at the 2006 Asian GamesBoth indoor volleyball and beach volleyball was contested at the 2006 Asian Games in Doha, Qatar. All matches played at the Al-Rayyan Indoor Hall.-Medal table:-Medalists:-Qualification:...
- Beach volleyball
- Volleyball
- Weightlifting
Weightlifting at the 2006 Asian GamesWeightlifting was contested by both men and women at the 2006 Asian Games in Doha, Qatar from December 2 to December 6, 2006. There are seven weight categories for the women and eight for the men... - WrestlingWrestling at the 2006 Asian GamesWrestling was contested by men and women at the 2006 Asian Games in Doha, Qatar. Only men competed in Greco-Roman wrestling while both men and women contested for medals in freestyle wrestling...
- WushuWushu at the 2006 Asian GamesWushu was contested by both men and women at the 2006 Asian Games in Doha, Qatar from December 11 to December 14, 2006. It was competed in the disciplines of Taijiquan, Taijijian, Changquan, Daoshu, Jianshu, Gunshu, Qiangshu, Nanquan, Nangun, Nandao, and Sanshou...
Athlete's death
Equestrianism
Equestrianism more often known as riding, horseback riding or horse riding refers to the skill of riding, driving, or vaulting with horses...
athlete Kim Hyung-chil
Kim Hyung-chil
Kim Hyung-chil was a South Korean horse rider. He was a silver medalist in the three day team event at the 2002 Asian Games in Busan, and was the oldest member of South Korea's equestrian team...
died after falling off his horse on the morning of December 7 during the cross country competition which took place in the rain. The accident occurred at jump number eight during the cross-country stage of the three-day eventing competition. After the horse, named Bundaberg Black, rolled over him, he was taken to the hospital, with his death later confirmed by the organizing committee.
Kim died shortly before noon Qatar time .
According to South Korea National Olympic Committee president Kim Jung Kil, sources on the course said that the horse mistimed his jump in the wet conditions and slipped. South Korean officials are asking for an inquiry to determine if mismanagement or rain was the cause of the death.
"In my professional opinion, neither the weather nor the footing had any bearing on this accident. If the horse falls, it's like two tons of bricks falling on you. There is nothing you can do about it," said Andy Griffiths, the Games event's technical overseer.
Kim's father was an equestrian
Equestrian at the 1964 Summer Olympics
The Equestrian Events at the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo included Show Jumping, Dressage and Eventing. All three disciplines had both individual and team competitions. The competitions were held from October 16, 1964 to October 24, 1964...
athlete for South Korea in the 1964 Summer Olympics
1964 Summer Olympics
The 1964 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Tokyo, Japan in 1964. Tokyo had been awarded with the organization of the 1940 Summer Olympics, but this honor was subsequently passed to Helsinki because of Japan's...
in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
and the younger Kim won a silver medal at the 2002 Asian Games
2002 Asian Games
The 2002 Asian Games, also known as XIV Asiad is a multi-sport event held in Busan, South Korea from September 29 to October 14, 2002. Busan is the second city, after Seoul in 1986 to host the Games. A total of 419 events in 38 sports were contested by 7,711 athletes from 44 countries...
in Busan
Busan
Busan , formerly spelled Pusan is South Korea's second largest metropolis after Seoul, with a population of around 3.6 million. The Metropolitan area population is 4,399,515 as of 2010. It is the largest port city in South Korea and the fifth largest port in the world...
on the same horse.
This is the eighth death linked to the 2006 Asian Games, and the first involving an athlete.
Closing ceremony
The closing ceremony featured the Arabic stories of a thousand years ago. It started with the same young boy as the "Seeker" in the opening ceremony. He flew on a magic carpetMagic carpet
A magic carpet, also called a flying carpet, is a legendary carpet that can be used to transport persons who are on it instantaneously or quickly to their destination.-In literature:...
to a book of Arabian stories. "A Thousand and One Nights" featured stories such as Haroun Al-Raschid and the Dervish, Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves, Sinbad the Sailor
Sinbad the Sailor
Sinbad the Sailor is a fictional sailor from Basrah, living during the Abbasid Caliphate – the hero of a story-cycle of Middle Eastern origin...
and Aladdin and his Marvellous Lamp. The show used an array of dancers, horses, and special effects to portray the different stories. After that, the segment of "Land of the Oryx" was shown with the whirling of dance.
All 45 nations' athletes entered the stadium after the show's end. Park Tae-Hwan
Park Tae-hwan
Park Tae-hwan is a South Korean swimmer. He is a member of the South Korean national swimming team, based in Taereung, Seoul. He won a gold medal in the 400 meter freestyle and a silver in the 200 meter freestyle events at the 2008 Summer Olympics...
was announced as the best athlete of the Games, having won seven medals, three of them being golds from the swimming competitions. The ceremony also included a minute of silence in homage to the South Korean equestrian rider Kim Hyung-chil
Kim Hyung-chil
Kim Hyung-chil was a South Korean horse rider. He was a silver medalist in the three day team event at the 2002 Asian Games in Busan, and was the oldest member of South Korea's equestrian team...
, who died during the competition.
After that, the OCA President Sheikh
Sheikh
Not to be confused with sikhSheikh — also spelled Sheik or Shaikh, or transliterated as Shaykh — is an honorific in the Arabic language that literally means "elder" and carries the meaning "leader and/or governor"...
Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah
Ahmed Al-Fahad Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah
Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah is a Kuwaiti politician and current president of Olympic Council of Asia and also a member of the International Olympic Committee. Al-Sabah was educated at Kuwait University and the Kuwait Military Academy, and attained the rank of major in the Kuwaiti Army...
officially announced the Games closed and passed the OCA flag to the mayor of Guangzhou
Guangzhou
Guangzhou , known historically as Canton or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of the Guangdong province in the People's Republic of China. Located in southern China on the Pearl River, about north-northwest of Hong Kong, Guangzhou is a key national transportation hub and trading port...
, Zhang Guangning, as the host of the next Asian Games in 2010.
A special 10 minutes in the final part of the closing ceremony showed a new China, known as "Oriental Charm", which featured Chinese culture. Followed by the theme song of the Game "Triumph of the One" sung by Lea Salonga
Lea Salonga
Lea Salonga-Chien is a mezzo-soprano singer and actress from the Philippines well known for originating the lead role of Kim in the musical Miss Saigon, for which she won the Olivier, Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics and Theatre World awards.She was the first Asian to play the roles of Éponine and...
from the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. Afterwards, fireworks blazed around the stadium and brought the curtains down on the Games. The breath-taking fireworks display is also one of the most expensive fireworks display in multi-sports event.
Medal table
The top ten ranked NOCs at these Games are listed below. The host nation, Qatar, is highlighted.Participating nations
All 45 OCA members participated in the Games. The number in parentheses indicates the number of participants that the National Olympic CommitteeNational Olympic Committee
National Olympic Committees are the national constituents of the worldwide Olympic movement. Subject to the controls of the International Olympic Committee, they are responsible for organizing their people's participation in the Olympic Games...
contributed.
Criticism
Despite the spectacular opening ceremony, which received high praise, there was some criticism by some delegations and athletes. Heavy rain poured down just after the end of opening ceremony, and many believed that the organizers did not have plans to deal with it, creating a chaotic situation. Chef de Mission of the Philippines, Butch Ramirez, said that some of the members of the Philippine delegation, including athletes, were soaked in the rain because the organising officials did not allow them to re-enter the covered stadium for shelter; instead they had to stay in the heavy rain for more than 30 minutes. He went on to say that the breakdown in transportation protocols due to the rain caused the athletes to rush to the nearest bus station, exposing them to rain. Ramirez said that he himself was a victim of pushing and shoving due to this chaos, and that because of it, he suffered from an asthmaAsthma
Asthma is the common chronic inflammatory disease of the airways characterized by variable and recurring symptoms, reversible airflow obstruction, and bronchospasm. Symptoms include wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath...
attack.
According to one IOC insider who arrived back at his hotel soaked, this incident hurt the chances of Doha hosting the 2016 Summer Olympics
2016 Summer Olympics
The 2016 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXXI Olympiad, are a major international multi-sport event to be celebrated in the tradition of the Olympic Games, as governed by the International Olympic Committee...
, which Doha applied for on 25 October 2007, and lost on 4 June 2008 when they were eliminated from the pool. Transportation was one of the crucial factors involved in the decision process.
Doping
The list of athletes who failed the doping test during the Games:- Myanmar's Than Kyi Kyi, the 48 kilogram weightlifter, tested positive for a banned diureticDiureticA diuretic provides a means of forced diuresis which elevates the rate of urination. There are several categories of diuretics. All diuretics increase the excretion of water from bodies, although each class does so in a distinct way.- Medical uses :...
. - Oo Mya Sanda, also of Myanmar, silver medalist for 75 kilogram weightlifting, tested positive for a metaboliteMetaboliteMetabolites are the intermediates and products of metabolism. The term metabolite is usually restricted to small molecules. A primary metabolite is directly involved in normal growth, development, and reproduction. Alcohol is an example of a primary metabolite produced in large-scale by industrial...
. - Uzbekistan's Elmira Ramileva, the 69 kilogram weightlifter, tested positive for an anabolic steroidAnabolic steroidAnabolic steroids, technically known as anabolic-androgen steroids or colloquially simply as "steroids", are drugs that mimic the effects of testosterone and dihydrotestosterone in the body. They increase protein synthesis within cells, which results in the buildup of cellular tissue ,...
. - Alexander Urinov, also of Uzbekistan, the 105 kilograms weightlifter, tested positive for cannabisCannabisCannabis is a genus of flowering plants that includes three putative species, Cannabis sativa, Cannabis indica, and Cannabis ruderalis. These three taxa are indigenous to Central Asia, and South Asia. Cannabis has long been used for fibre , for seed and seed oils, for medicinal purposes, and as a...
. - Iraq's Saad Faeaz, a bodybuilder, disqualified from the Games after a banned steroidSteroidA steroid is a type of organic compound that contains a characteristic arrangement of four cycloalkane rings that are joined to each other. Examples of steroids include the dietary fat cholesterol, the sex hormones estradiol and testosterone, and the anti-inflammatory drug dexamethasone.The core...
was found in his luggage in Doha International AirportDoha International AirportDoha International Airport is the only commercial airport in Qatar. It has three mosques, free Wi-Fi, a duty-free area, a few eateries and 42 parking bays for aircraft. There are also 60 check-in gates, 8 baggage claim belts and over 1,000 car parking spaces.The airport suffers from...
. - Bahrain's Sayed Faisal Husain, silver medalist for 70 kilogram bodybuilding tested positive.
- Korea's Kim Myong-Hun, silver medalist for 90 kilogram bodybuilding tested positive.
Gender test
- India's Santhi SoundarajanSanthi SoundarajanSanthi Soundarajan is an Indian athlete who competes in the middle distance track events...
, silver medalist for women's 800 metre run, was officially stripped of her medal after she failed a gender test.
Bed shortage
The Games' organizers faced significant bed shortages due to the record number of more than 13,000 athletes and officials who attended the 2006 Games. The Athletes' Village had space for only 10,500 people and was not large enough to accommodate the record amount of attendees. To resolve the problem, organizers contracted with three cruise ships to provide sleeping quarters.Last minute withdrawals
The Football competition lost three teams due to withdrawals and a suspension, which resulted rescheduling of the format and draws. Following the withdrawal of MaldivesMaldives
The Maldives , , officially Republic of Maldives , also referred to as the Maldive Islands, is an island nation in the Indian Ocean formed by a double chain of twenty-six atolls oriented north-south off India's Lakshadweep islands, between Minicoy Island and...
women's football team in early November, the women's football competition was forced to redraw to ensure both groups had an equal number of teams. Not much later, Turkmenistan
Turkmenistan national football team
The Turkmenistan national football team is the national team of Turkmenistan and is controlled by the Football Federation of Turkmenistan.-History:After the country gained independence, they played their first match against Kazakhstan on June 1, 1992...
announced their withdrawal due to the lack of options available in Qatar. Yemen
Yemen national football team
The Yemen national football team , is the national team of Yemen and is controlled by the Yemen Football Association.When the nation was split into North Yemen and South Yemen before 1990, two national teams existed. After unification, the Yemen national football team is considered the successor of...
also withdrew because the team was unable to afford a drug test after some of their players were accused of doping.
India made big changes to its team close to the opening ceremonies. On November 22, 2006, the Indian sports dropped eight of the 32 events they had previously announced that they would be contesting in the Games. The dropped events were football, basketball, handball, sepak takraw
Sepak takraw
Sepak takraw , or kick volleyball, is a sport native to the Malay-Thai Peninsula...
, triathlon, ten-pin bowling and rugby sevens. The events were dropped due to the lack of medal hopes and to cut costs. As a result, 387 athletes were be sent to Doha instead of the original 589 proposed by the Indian Olympic Association
Indian Olympic Association
The Indian Olympic Association is the body responsible for selecting athletes to represent India at the Olympic Games, Asian Games and other international athletic meets and for managing the Indian teams at the events...
.
While volleyball also had three teams withdraw from the Games, Palestine withdrew due to the travelling difficulties caused by the closure of the Gaza Strip
Gaza Strip
thumb|Gaza city skylineThe Gaza Strip lies on the Eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. The Strip borders Egypt on the southwest and Israel on the south, east and north. It is about long, and between 6 and 12 kilometres wide, with a total area of...
border. Indonesia and Turkmenistan also withdrew from the tournament, for unknown reasons, just hours before their first preliminary round match.