The West Asian Games
The West Asian Games (or WAG) is a multi-sport event where athletes from all over the West Asia are invited to compete. The event was first organized in Tehran, Iran on 19-28 November, 1997 and was planned to be held every two years. However, since 1997 there have only been two more editions. Also, in 2002 it was decided that the Games should be held every four years, one year before the Asian Games.
The organizer of the WAG is the West Asian Games Federation (WAGF) with the main base in Kuwait. There are 13 main member countries that send their athletes to compete in the WAG: United Arab Emirates, Syria, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Palestine, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Bahrain, and Yemen.
The first WAG gathered 850 participating athletes and 236 team officials from 10 countries. At this first edition only men were allowed to participate and they competed in 15 different sports.
The second edition was initially supposed to be organized in 1999 but it was postponed to 2001 due to unforeseen circumstances. In 2001 the games were postponed again to April 2002 due to armed conflicts in the region. This time there were 12 countries participating.
The third edition was not immune to troubles. It was supposed to be held in 2003 in Damascus, Syria but instead, it was held in December 2005 in Doha, Qatar. This time, there were 13 participating nations.
The next West Asian Games
- The 4th edition of West Asian Games was scheduled to occur in Kish Island, Iran in 2014, but it was postponed. No further dates are known.
Related Pages
- About the Asian Games and other events in the region
- Other International Multi-Events
- Multi-Sport Events (Games) Calendar
Any comments, suggestions, or corrections? Please let us know.
Current Events