For New Zealand, the Asian Games have been largely overlooked, perhaps partially due to the significance of the Commonwealth Games held in the same year, writes Department of Tourism, Sport and Society lecturer Koji Kobayashi.
However, it does not mean that a country is restricted to participate in only one of these two events. Singapore, Malaysia and India, for instance, have participated in both.
New Zealand’s participation in the Asiad would be particularly appealing for the Olympic sports that are not currently present in the Commonwealth Games, including football, judo, taekwondo and volleyball.
Along with Australia, New Zealand sent three athletes to the 2017 Asian Winter Games, while winter Olympic sports may offer a opportunity for future involvement. New Zealand could consider using the Asian Winter Games as a springboard to host the first-ever Winter Olympics in the Southern Hemisphere. Potential opportunities may be only limited by our imagination.
Most importantly, what is at stake in a larger picture is the struggles of Oceania for its viability and legitimacy as a part of the IOC structure.
The Oceania National Olympic Committee is the smallest of all five continental associations with 17 nations whereas the next smallest association, Pan American Sports Organisation, has 41 nations. What’s more, Australia and New Zealand have dominated a number of sports in Oceania to a great extent.
With Australia moving closer to Asia, the viability of Oceania is threatened. Against this backdrop, 18 nations from Oceania (including Australia but excluding New Zealand) participated in the 2017 Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games, which was also organised by the OCA. Is Oceania gradually becoming a part of Asia in the sporting landscape?
Rather than limiting ourselves to the discussion of either ‘Asia or Oceania’, wider thinking may be required to re-imagine the best possible continental structure for the Asia and Pacific region.
One idea proposed by a football journalist is to split the region into two continental associations – one consisting of West and Central Asia and another consisting of East Asia and Oceania.
While this may or may not be a feasible option for the IOC, what’s clear is that sports and sport organisations are positioned at the forefront of this re-imagination of continental boundaries and solidarity.
The Full version of this article featured in The Asia Media Centre website, https://www.asiamediacentre.org.nz/opinion/opportunity-asian-games-new-zealand-sports-koji-kobayashi/