View source for 2004 South Asian Games

{{Short description|none}}
{{Infobox games
| name               = IX South Asian Games
| logo               = 9th South Asian Games 2004 Islamabad Logo.png
| size               = 250px
| host_city          = {{flagicon|PAK}} [[Islamabad]], [[Pakistan]]
| nations            = 8
| events             = 15 Sports
| opening            = 29 March 2004
| closing            = 7 April 2004
| opened_by          = [[Pervez Musharraf]], <br> [[President of Pakistan]]
| stadium            = [[Jinnah Sports Stadium|Jinnah Stadium]]
| motto              = "Rising Above"
| previous           = [[1999 South Asian Games|1999 Kathmandu]]
| next               = [[2006 South Asian Games|2006 Colombo]]
| website            = https://ocasia.org/games/26-islamabad-2004.html
| edition            = 9
| debuting_countries = {{flagcountry|Islamic Republic of Afghanistan}}
| organizer          = [[Pakistan Olympic Association]]
}}

The '''2004 South Asian Games''', officially known as the '''IX South Asian Federation Games''', were held in [[Islamabad]], [[Pakistan]] from 29 March to 7 April 2004. Originally scheduled for 2001, the games were postponed in the wake of the [[9/11 attacks]] on the [[United States]] in which the US later declared Pakistan a [[major non-NATO ally]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=2001-09-23 |title=South Asian Games cancelled |language=en-GB |work=[[BBC News]] |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/front_page/1559162.stm |access-date=2022-09-19}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=OCA » Islamabad 2004 |url=https://ocasia.org/games/26-islamabad-2004.html |access-date=2022-04-06 |website=ocasia.org}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Asghar |first=Raja |title=rediff.com: sports channel - South Asian Federation Games cancelled in Afghan crisis |url=https://www.rediff.com/sports/2001/sep/24asian.htm |access-date=2022-04-06 |website=www.rediff.com}}</ref> The slogan for the Games was ''Rising Above''. For the first time, [[Afghanistan]] participated in the Games.

==Postponements==
The games in [[Islamabad]] were originally to be held from 6 to 15 October 2001, but they were inevitably rescheduled (with the location remaining unchanged) for 30 March 2002 due to the [[War in Afghanistan (2001–present)|invasion of Afghanistan]]. They were postponed again due to tensions between Pakistan and India. They were the set to be held from 29 March to 6 April 2003.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2002-03-31 |title=SAF Games from March 29, 2003 |url=http://beta.dawn.com/news/27943/saf-games-from-march-29-2003 |access-date=2022-09-19 |website=[[Dawn (newspaper)|Dawn]] |language=en}}</ref> Afghanistan was invited for the games, however [[Bhutan]] and [[India]] withdrew.<ref name="auto">{{cite web |title=9th South Asian Federation Games 2004 (Pakistan) |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tabless/safg01.html |accessdate=2022-09-20 |publisher=Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation}}</ref>

The entire event was postponed for the third time due to the [[war against Iraq]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2003-04-11 |title=SAF Games in Islamabad cancelled |url=http://beta.dawn.com/news/93860/saf-games-in-islamabad-cancelled |access-date=2022-04-06 |website=[[Dawn (newspaper)|Dawn]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2003-09-18 |title=KUNA : SAF Games rescheduled again in Pakistan - General - 18/09/2003 |url=https://www.kuna.net.kw/ArticleDetails.aspx?id=1398547&language=en |access-date=2022-09-19 |website=Kuwait News Agency}}</ref> Pakistan retained the organisational authority, despite [[Sri Lanka]] being offered to host the games for 2004. Sri Lanka received the honour when they hosted the [[2006 South Asian Games|10th edition]] of the Games in 2006. The 9th edition was then rescheduled in Pakistan, for 29 March through 7 April 2004. Despite not entering in the previous schedule, Bhutan and India now joined the Games, though the Maldives withdrew from the [[Football at the 2004 South Asian Games|football tournament]].<ref name="auto"/>

== The Games ==

=== Participating nations ===
The following eight countries competed.<ref name=":0" />
[[File:South_Asian_Games_participating_countries.PNG|right|thumb|Participating nations]]
{{Columns-list|* {{flagIOC2|AFG|2004 South Asian Games|}}
* {{flagIOC2|BAN|2004 South Asian Games|}}
* {{flagIOC2|BHU|2004 South Asian Games|}}
* {{flagIOC2|IND|2004 South Asian Games|}}
* {{flagIOC2|MDV|2004 South Asian Games|}}
* {{flagIOC2|NEP|2004 South Asian Games|}}
* {{flagIOC2|PAK|2004 South Asian Games|}}
* {{flagIOC2|SRI|2004 South Asian Games|}}}}

=== Sports ===
* [[File:Athletics pictogram.svg|20px]] [[Sport of athletics|Athletics]] ({{detailslink|Athletics at the 2004 South Asian Games}}) 
* [[File: Badminton pictogram.svg|20px]] [[Badminton]] ({{detailslink|Badminton at the 2004 South Asian Games}}) 
* [[File:Boxing pictogram.svg|20px]] [[Boxing]] ({{detailslink|Boxing at the 2004 South Asian Games}}) 
* [[File:Football pictogram.svg|20px]] [[Association football|Football]] ({{detailslink|Football at the 2004 South Asian Games}})
* [[File:Kabaddi pictogram.svg|20px]] [[Kabaddi]] ({{detailslink|Kabaddi at the 2004 South Asian Games}}) 
* [[File:Karate pictogram.svg|20px]] [[Judo]] ({{detailslink|Karate at the 2004 South Asian Games}})
* [[File:Rowing pictogram.svg|20px]] [[Rowing (sport)|Rowing]] '''(debut)''' ({{detailslink|Rowing at the 2004 South Asian Games}})
* [[File:Shooting pictogram.svg|20px]] [[Shooting sports|Shooting]] ({{detailslink|Shooting at the 2004 South Asian Games}})
* [[File:Squash pictogram.svg|20px]] [[Squash (sport)|Squash]] ({{detailslink|Squash at the 2004 South Asian Games}})
* [[File:Swimming pictogram.svg|20px]] [[Swimming (sport)|Swimming]] ({{detailslink|Swimming at the 2004 South Asian Games}})
* [[File:Table tennis pictogram.svg|20px]] [[Table tennis]] ({{detailslink|Table tennis at the 2004 South Asian Games}})
* [[File:Taekwondo pictogram.svg|20px]] [[Taekwondo]] ({{detailslink|Taekwondo at the 2004 South Asian Games}})
* [[File:Volleyball pictogram.svg|20px]] [[Volleyball]] ({{detailslink|Volleyball at the 2004 South Asian Games}})
* [[File:Weightlifting pictogram.svg|20px]] [[Olympic weightlifting|Weightlifting]] ({{detailslink|Weightlifting at the 2004 South Asian Games}})
* [[File:Wrestling pictogram.svg|20px]] [[Amateur wrestling|Wrestling]] ({{detailslink|Wrestling at the 2004 South Asian Games}})

== Medal tally ==
{{Medals table
| caption =
| host = PAK
| flag_template = flagIOC2team
| event = 2004 South Asian Games
| team =
| gold_IND = 103 | silver_IND = 57 | bronze_IND = 32
| gold_PAK = 38 | silver_PAK = 55 | bronze_PAK = 50 | host_PAK = yes
| gold_SRI = 17 | silver_SRI = 32 | bronze_SRI = 57
| gold_NEP = 7 | silver_NEP = 6 | bronze_NEP = 20
| gold_BAN = 3 | silver_BAN = 13 | bronze_BAN = 24
| gold_AFG = 1 | silver_AFG = 3 | bronze_AFG = 28
| gold_BHU = 1 | silver_BHU = 3 | bronze_BHU = 2
| gold_MDV = 0 | silver_MDV = 0 | bronze_MDV = 0
}}

== See also ==

* South Asian Games celebrated in Pakistan
** [[1989 South Asian Games]] – [[Islamabad]]
** '''2004 South Asian Games''' – [[Islamabad]]
** [[2026 South Asian Games]] – [[Lahore]]
* [[South Asian Games]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{SAFGames}}

[[Category:2004 South Asian Games| ]]
[[Category:South Asian Games]]
[[Category:2004 in multi-sport events|South Asian Games]]
[[Category:2004 in Asian sport|South Asian Games]]
[[Category:2004 in Pakistani sport|South Asian Games]]
[[Category:March 2004 sports events in Asia|South Asian Games]]
[[Category:April 2004 sports events in Asia|South Asian Games]]
[[Category:International sports competitions hosted by Pakistan|South Asian Games, 2004]]
[[Category:Sports competitions in Islamabad|South Asian Games, 2004]]
[[Category:Multi-sport events in Pakistan]]


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