Olympics, Commonwealth Games, Asian Games: Facts about three of the largest sporting events in the world

The Olympics, the Commonwealth Games, and the Asian Games are all different from each other. Here are a few facts about three of the largest sporting events in the world.

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The Olympics, the Commonwealth Games, and the Asian Games are all different from each other. Here are a few facts about three of the largest sporting events in the world.

Even though many people hold the Olympics, the Commonwealth Games, and the Asian Games all at the same level, these large-scale sporting events of the world are all different from each other.

The Olympics is a sporting competition for the countries that sign the Olympic charter for fair sports. This one covers mostly the entire world.

The Commonwealth Games is competition for countries originally under the British rule throughout the world. The only countries that do not participate though they fall under this umbrella are the United States and Canada.

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The Asian Games is a regional sporting championship for the countries within the continent of Asia.

Facts about the Olympics

  • The Olympics games started in 776 BC on Mount Olympia in the honour of Greek god Zeus.
  • The modern Olympic Games were started in Athens, the capital of Greece on April 6, 1896, thanks to the efforts by French nobleman, Baron Pierre de Coubertin.
  • The Olympic Games are organised once every four years.
  • The Olympic Flag is made up of white silk and contains five intertwined rings as the Olympic Emblem which denotes the five major continents apart from Antarctica.
  • The five interlaced rings are arranged in 3-2 pattern on a white background, with the blue ring to the extreme left, followed by yellow, black, green and red, in the same order -- blue for Europe, black for Africa, red for Americas (North and South America), yellow for Asia and green for Oceania (Australia and New Zealand).
  • The official Olympic Motto is ‘Citius, Altius, Fortius’, a Latin phrase meaning ‘Swifter, Higher, Stronger’.
  • The 2024 Summer Olympic will be held in Paris, France.

Facts about the Commonwealth Games

  • The first Commonwealth Games were held in 1930 in Hamilton, Canada.
  • Since 1930, the games have been conducted once every four years except for 1942 and 1946 due to World War II.
  • The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) is the organisation responsible for the direction and control of the Commonwealth Games.
  • There are currently 53 members in the Commonwealth of Nations.
  • The 2018 Commonwealth Games (21st) were held an Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. The most gold medals were won by Australia.
  • The 2022 Commonwealth Games will be held at Birmingham, England.

Facts about the Asian Games

  • The first Asian Games were held in 1951 in New Delhi (India).
  • The Asian Games, also called the Asiad, are a multi-sport event held once every four years among athletes from all over Asia.
  • The games are regulated by the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), under the supervision of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
  • The Asian Games symbol is a bright sun in red with 16 rays and a white circle in the middle of its disc which represents the ever glimmering and warm spirit of the Asian people.
  • The 18th Asian Games of 2018 were held at Jakarta (Indonesia) in which India finished at eighth position.
  • The next game is scheduled to be held in Hangzhou, China in 2022.

Read: What makes the Commonwealth Games different from the Olympics?

Read: Asian Games 2018: All you need to know about the continental multi-sport event

Read: As Commonwealth Games 2018 begin in Gold Coast, here are 7 facts you didn't know