View source for South Asian Games

{{short description|Multi-sport event in South Asia}}
{{Infobox recurring event
|name = South Asian Games
|image = 
|caption =
|list_years = yes
|list_sports = yes
|organisations = {{flatlist|
* [[South Asian Olympic Council]]
* [[National Olympic Committee|NOCs]]
}}
}}
{{Infobox sporting event organization
|name         = South Asian Games
|image        = 
|caption      = 
|abbreviation = SAG
|motto        = Peace, Prosperity Progress
|formation    = [[1984 South Asian Games]], [[Kathmandu]], Nepal
|recurrence   = Four years 
|last         = [[2019 South Asian Games]], [[Kathmandu]] and [[Pokhara]], Nepal 
|next         = [[2026 South Asian Games]], [[Lahore]], Pakistan
|purpose      = [[Multi-sport event]] for nations in [[South Asia]] 
|headquarters = 
|leader_title = Best performer
|leader_name  = [[India at the South Asian Games|India]] {{flagicon|IND}}
|website      = 
|remarks      = 
}}

The '''South Asian Games''' is a quadrennial [[multi-sport event]] held among athletes from [[South Asia]]. The [[South Asia Olympic Council]], which was formed in 1983, governs it. The Games consist of seven countries, namely [[Bangladesh]], [[Bhutan]], [[India]], [[Maldives]], [[Nepal]], [[Pakistan]], and [[Sri Lanka]]. [[Afghanistan]] had participated in the Games four times, but left the [[South Asia Olympic Council|SAOC]] after participating in [[2016 South Asian Games|2016]].

The first South Asian Games were hosted by [[Kathmandu]], [[Nepal]] in 1984. From 1984 to 1987 they were held every year except 1986, as it was a year of [[Commonwealth Games]] and [[Asian Games]]. From 1987 onwards, they have been held every two years except for some occasions. In 2004, the South Asian Sports Council decided to rename the games from the South Asian Federation Games to the South Asian Games as officials believed the word federation was diminishing the emphasis on the event and acting as a barrier to attracting spectators.<ref>[http://www.rediff.com/sports/2004/apr/02sag.htm It will be South Asian Games] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100604030735/http://www.rediff.com/sports/2004/apr/02sag.htm |date=2010-06-04 }}.''Rediff news''.April 2, 2004.</ref>

These are often known as the South Asian version of [[Olympic Games]]. The [[2019 South Asian Games|XIII South Asian Games]] was held at [[Kathmandu]], [[Pokhara]] and [[Janakpur]] from 1 December to 10 December 2019.

The South Asian Games is one of five subregional Games of the [[Olympic Council of Asia]]. The others are [[Central Asian Games]], [[East Asian Youth Games]], [[Southeast Asian Games]], and [[West Asian Games]].<ref>[http://www.ocasia.org/Game/GamesL1.aspx?j72yDNndeVyJ2ChZBk5tvA== Games page] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131014211143/http://www.ocasia.org/Game/GamesL1.aspx?j72yDNndeVyJ2ChZBk5tvA== |date=2013-10-14 }} of the website of the [[Olympic Council of Asia]]; retrieved 2010-07-09.</ref>

== Editions ==
{{location map+
|South Asia
|float=left
|width=500
|caption=Host cities of the South Asian Games
|places=
{{Location map~
|South Asia
|position= top
|lat=27.766667
|long=85.266667
|label= '''[[Kathmandu|1984, 1999, 2019]]'''}}
{{Location map~
|South Asia
|position=right
|lat=23.763889
|long=90.388889
|label='''[[Dhaka|1985, 1993, 2010]]'''}}
{{Location map~
|South Asia
|position=bottom
|lat=22.5726
|long=88.3639
|label='''[[Calcutta|1987]]'''}}
{{Location map~
|South Asia
|position=right
|lat=33.693056
|long=73.063889
|label='''[[Islamabad|1989, 2004, 2026]]'''}}
{{Location map~
|South Asia
|position=right
|lat=6.934444
|long=79.842778
|label='''[[Colombo|1991, 2006, 2027]]'''}}
{{Location map~
|South Asia
|position=right
|lat=13.083333
|long=80.266667
|label='''[[Madras|1995]]'''}}
{{Location map~
|South Asia
|position=top  |lat=26.172222
|long=91.745833
|label='''[[Guwahati|2016]]'''}}
{{Location map~
|South Asia
|position=right
|lat=25.5667
|long=91.8833
|label='''[[Shillong|2016]]'''}}
{{Location map~
|South Asia
|position=bottom
|lat=28.263889
|long=83.972222
|label='''[[Pokhara|2019]]'''}}
{{Location map~
|South Asia
|position=right
|lat=31.5204|long=74.3587
|label='''[[Lahore|2026]]'''}}
{{Location map~
|South Asia
|position=left
|lat=31.25|long=73.5
|label='''[[Faisalabad|2026]]'''}}
}}

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"
|- 
! Edition
! Year
! Host Cities
! Host Nation
! Nations
! Sports
! Events
! Ref
|-
| [[1984 South Asian Games|1]]
| 1984
| [[Kathmandu]]
| {{flag|Nepal}}
| 7
| 5
| 62
| <ref>{{Cite web|title=OCA » Kathmandu 1984|url=https://www.ocasia.org/games/34-kathmandu-1984.html|access-date=2021-10-28|archive-date=2021-10-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211028144438/https://www.ocasia.org/games/34-kathmandu-1984.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
|- 
| [[1985 South Asian Games|2]]
| 1985
| [[Dhaka]]
| {{flag|Bangladesh}}
| 7
| 7
| 94
| <ref>{{Cite web|title=OCA » Dhaka 1985|url=https://ocasia.org/games/33-dhaka-1985.html|access-date=2021-10-28|archive-date=2021-10-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211028144015/https://ocasia.org/games/33-dhaka-1985.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
|- 
| [[1987 South Asian Games|3]]
| 1987
| [[Kolkata|Calcutta]]
| {{flag|India}}
| 7
| 10
| 116
| <ref>{{Cite web|title=OCA » Calcutta 1987|url=https://www.ocasia.org/games/32-calcutta-1987.html|access-date=2021-10-28|archive-date=2021-10-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211028154503/https://www.ocasia.org/games/32-calcutta-1987.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
|- 
| [[1989 South Asian Games|4]]
| 1989
| [[Islamabad]]
| {{flag|Pakistan}}
| 7
| 10
| 114
| <ref>{{Cite web|title=OCA » Islamabad 1989|url=https://www.ocasia.org/games/31-islamabad-1989.html|access-date=2021-10-28|archive-date=2021-10-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211028160007/https://www.ocasia.org/games/31-islamabad-1989.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
|- 
| [[1991 South Asian Games|5]]
| 1991
| [[Colombo]]
| {{flag|Sri Lanka}}
| 7
| 10
| 142
| <ref>{{Cite web|title=OCA » Colombo 1991|url=https://ocasia.org/games/30-colombo-1991.html|access-date=2021-10-28|archive-date=2021-10-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211028134659/https://ocasia.org/games/30-colombo-1991.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
|- 
| [[1993 South Asian Games|6]]
| 1993
| [[Dhaka]]
| {{flag|Bangladesh}}
| 7
| 11
| 115
| <ref>{{Cite web|title=OCA » Dhaka 1993|url=https://www.ocasia.org/games/29-dhaka-1993.html|access-date=2021-10-28|archive-date=2021-10-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211028154508/https://www.ocasia.org/games/29-dhaka-1993.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
|- 
| [[1995 South Asian Games|7]]
| 1995
| [[Chennai|Madras]]
| {{flag|India}}
| 7
| 14
| 143
| <ref>{{Cite web|title=OCA » Madras 1995|url=https://www.ocasia.org/games/28-madras-1995.html|access-date=2021-10-28|archive-date=2021-10-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211028154503/https://www.ocasia.org/games/28-madras-1995.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
|- 
| [[1999 South Asian Games|8]]
| 1999
| [[Kathmandu]]
| {{flag|Nepal}}
| 7
| 12
| 163
| <ref>{{Cite web|title=OCA » Kathmandu 1999|url=https://www.ocasia.org/games/27-kathmandu-1999.html|access-date=2021-10-28|archive-date=2021-10-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211028160004/https://www.ocasia.org/games/27-kathmandu-1999.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
|- 
| [[2004 South Asian Games|9]]
| 2004
| [[Islamabad]]
| {{flag|Pakistan}}
| 8
| 15
| 170
| <ref>{{Cite web|title=OCA » Islamabad 2004|url=https://www.ocasia.org/games/26-islamabad-2004.html|access-date=2021-10-28|archive-date=2021-10-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211020062641/https://ocasia.org/games/26-islamabad-2004.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
|- 
| [[2006 South Asian Games|10]]
| 2006
| [[Colombo]]
| {{flag|Sri Lanka}}
| 8
| 20
| 197
| <ref>{{Cite web|title=OCA » Colombo 2006|url=https://ocasia.org/games/25-colombo-2006.html|access-date=2021-10-28|archive-date=2021-10-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211020062131/https://ocasia.org/games/25-colombo-2006.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
|- 
| [[2010 South Asian Games|11]]
| 2010
| [[Dhaka]]
| {{flag|Bangladesh}}
| 8
| 23
| 158
| <ref>{{Cite web|title=OCA » Dhaka 2010|url=https://www.ocasia.org/games/16-dhaka-2010.html|access-date=2021-10-28|archive-date=2021-10-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211020014658/https://ocasia.org/games/16-dhaka-2010.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
|- 
| [[2016 South Asian Games|12]]
| 2016
| [[Guwahati]]<br>[[Shillong]]
| {{flag|India}}
| 8
| 22
| 226
| <ref>{{cite web |url=http://southasiangames2016.nic.in/ |title=Home |website=southasiangames2016.nic.in |access-date=2021-10-28 |archive-date=2021-10-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211028154504/http://southasiangames2016.nic.in/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
|- 
| [[2019 South Asian Games|13]]
| 2019
| [[Kathmandu]]<br>[[Pokhara]]<br>[[Janakpur]]
| {{flag|Nepal}}
| 7
| 26
| 317
| <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.13sagnepal.com/ |title=Home |website=13sagnepal.com |access-date=2021-10-28 |archive-date=2019-11-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191117124232/https://www.13sagnepal.com/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
|- 
| [[2026 South Asian Games|14]]
| 2026
| [[Lahore]]<br>[[Islamabad]]<br>[[Faisalabad]]
| {{flag|Pakistan}}
| 7
| 37
| ''TBD''
|
|}

== List of sports ==
Following 29 sports have been competed in South Asian Games history till latest edition:

{{div col|colwidth=22em}}
* {{GamesSport|Archery}}
* {{GamesSport|Athletics}}
* {{GamesSport|Badminton}}
* {{GamesSport|Baseball}}
* {{GamesSport|Basketball}}
* {{GamesSport|3x3 basketball}}
* {{GamesSport|Boxing}}
* {{GamesSport|Canoeing}}
* {{GamesSport|Cricket}}
* {{GamesSport|Fencing}}
* {{GamesSport|Field hockey}}
* {{GamesSport|Football}}
* {{GamesSport|Golf}}
* {{GamesSport|Gymnastics}}
* {{GamesSport|Handball}}
* {{GamesSport|Judo}}
* {{GamesSport|Kabaddi}}
* {{GamesSport|Karate}}
* {{GamesSport|Kho kho}}
* {{GamesSport|Rowing}}
* {{GamesSport|Sailing}}
* {{GamesSport|Shooting}}
* {{GamesSport|Squash}}
* {{GamesSport|Swimming}}
* {{GamesSport|Table tennis}}
* {{GamesSport|Taekwondo}}
* {{GamesSport|Tennis}}
* {{GamesSport|Triathlon}}
* {{GamesSport|Volleyball}}
* {{GamesSport|Weightlifting}}
* {{GamesSport|Wrestling}}
* {{GamesSport|Wushu}}
{{div col end}}

==Medal table==
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
!Rank
![[National Olympic Committee|NOC]]
|style="background:gold; width:4.5em; font-weight:bold;"|Gold
|style="background:silver; width:4.5em; font-weight:bold;"|Silver
| style="background:#c96; width:4.5em; font-weight:bold;"|Bronze
!style="width:4.5em;"|Total
|-
| 1 
| {{flagicon|IND}} [[India at the South Asian Games|India]]
| 1263
| 736
| 379
| 2378
|-
| 2
| {{flagicon|PAK}} [[Pakistan at the South Asian Games|Pakistan]]
| 297
| 421
| 432
| 1150
|-
| 3
| {{flagicon|SRI}} [[Sri Lanka at the South Asian Games|Sri Lanka]]
| 250
| 436
| 681
| 1367
|-
| 4
| {{flagicon|NEP}} [[Nepal at the South Asian Games|Nepal]]
| 124
| 186
| 380
| 690
|-
| 5
| {{flagicon|BAN}} [[Bangladesh at the South Asian Games|Bangladesh]]
| 86
| 210
| 493 
| 789
|-
| 6
| {{flagicon|BHU}} [[Bhutan at the South Asian Games|Bhutan]]
| 2 
| 23 
| 66
| 91
|-
| 7 
| {{flagicon|MDV}} [[Maldives at the South Asian Games|Maldives]]
| 1 
| 3 
| 13
| 17
|-
! colspan=7|Former member <sup>[[#1|1]]</sup>
|-
| {{n/a}}
| {{nowrap|{{flagicon|AFG|2013}} [[Afghanistan at the South Asian Games|Afghanistan]]}}
| 21
| 28
| 79 
| 128
|}
{{anchor|1}}<sup>1</sup> Left [[South Asia Olympic Council|SAOC]] and joined [[Central Asian Games|CAG]].

* Updated till [[2019 South Asian Games]]

==Medals by year==
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|+
! rowspan="2" |Rank
! rowspan="2" |NOC
! colspan="3" |1984
! colspan="3" |1985
! colspan="3" |1987
! colspan="3" |1989
! colspan="3" |1991
! colspan="3" |1993
! colspan="3" |1995
! colspan="3" |1999
! colspan="3" |2004
! colspan="3" |2006
! colspan="3" |2010
! colspan="3" |2016
! colspan="3" |2019
|-
!{{Asia1}}
!{{Asia2}}
!{{Asia3}}
!{{Asia1}}
!{{Asia2}}
!{{Asia3}}
!{{Asia1}}
!{{Asia2}}
!{{Asia3}}
!{{Asia1}}
!{{Asia2}}
!{{Asia3}}
!{{Asia1}}
!{{Asia2}}
!{{Asia3}}
!{{Asia1}}
!{{Asia2}}
!{{Asia3}}
!{{Asia1}}
!{{Asia2}}
!{{Asia3}}
!{{Asia1}}
!{{Asia2}}
!{{Asia3}}
!{{Asia1}}
!{{Asia2}}
!{{Asia3}}
!{{Asia1}}
!{{Asia2}}
!{{Asia3}}
!{{Asia1}}
!{{Asia2}}
!{{Asia3}}
!{{Asia1}}
!{{Asia2}}
!{{Asia3}}
!{{Asia1}}
!{{Asia2}}
!{{Asia3}}
|-
|1
|{{flagicon|IND}} [[India at the South Asian Games|India]]
|44
|28
|16
|61
|32
|14
|91
|45
|19
|61
|43
|20
|64
|59
|41
|60
|46
|31
|106
|60
|19
|102
|58
|37
|103
|57
|32
|118
|69
|47
|90
|55
|30
|188
|92
|28
|175
|92
|45
|-
|2
|{{flagicon|PAK}} [[Pakistan at the South Asian Games|Pakistan]]
|5
|3
|2
|21
|26
|12
|16
|36
|14
|42
|33
|22
|28
|32
|25
|23
|22
|20
|10
|33
|36
|10
|36
|30
|38
|55
|50
|43
|44
|71
|19
|25
|36
|12
|35
|57
|30
|41
|57
|-
|3
|{{flagicon|SRI}} [[Sri Lanka at the South Asian Games|Sri Lanka]]
|7
|11
|19
|2
|7
|9
|4
|7
|23
|6
|10
|21
|44
|34
|40
|20
|22
|39
|16
|25
|53
|16
|42
|62
|17
|32
|57
|37
|63
|78
|16
|35
|54
|25
|64
|98
|40
|84
|128
|-
|4
|{{flagicon|NEP}} [[Nepal at the South Asian Games|Nepal]]
|4
|12
|8
|1
|9
|22
|2
|7
|33
|1
|13
|32
|2
|8
|29
|1
|6
|15
|4
|8
|16
|31
|10
|24
|7
|6
|20
|9
|15
|31
|8
|9
|19
|3
|23
|35
|51
|60
|96
|-
|5
|{{flagicon|BAN}} [[Bangladesh at the South Asian Games|Bangladesh]]
|2
|8
|13
|9
|17
|38
|3
|20
|31
|1
|12
|24
|4
|8
|28
|11
|19
|32
|7
|17
|34
|2
|10
|35
|3
|13
|24
|3
|15
|34
|18
|23
|56
|4
|16
|55
|19
|32
|89
|-
|6
|{{flagicon|BHU}} [[Bhutan at the South Asian Games|Bhutan]]
|0
|0
|2
|0
|0
|4
|0
|1
|5
|0
|0
|3
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|2
|1
|6
|7
|1
|3
|2
|0
|3
|10
|0
|2
|3
|0
|1
|15
|0
|7
|13
|-
|7
|{{flagicon|MDV}} [[Maldives at the South Asian Games|Maldives]]
|0
|0
|1
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|1
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|1
|0
|0
|4
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|0
|2
|0
|2
|1
|1
|0
|4
|-
! colspan="41" |Former Member
|-
|{{n/a}}
|{{nowrap|{{flagicon|AFG|2013}} [[Afghanistan at the South Asian Games|Afghanistan]]}}
| colspan="24" align="center" bgcolor="blanchedalmond" |Not part of [[South Asia Olympic Council|SAOC]]
|1
|3
|28
|6
|7
|16
|7
|9
|16
|7
|9
|19
| colspan="3" align="center" bgcolor="blanchedalmond" |Not part of [[South Asia Olympic Council|SAOC]]
|}

==Performance table==
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|- 
! Country
! Top Ranked
! Second Ranked
! Third Ranked
|-
| {{flagicon|IND}} [[India at the South Asian Games|India]]
|13 times
|{{n/a}}
|{{n/a}}
|-
| {{flagicon|PAK}} [[Pakistan at the South Asian Games|Pakistan]]
|{{n/a}}
|7 times
|4 times
|-
| {{flagicon|SRI}} [[Sri Lanka at the South Asian Games|Sri Lanka]]
|{{n/a}}
|4 times
|7 times
|-
| {{flagicon|NEP}} [[Nepal at the South Asian Games|Nepal]]
|{{n/a}}
|2 times
|{{n/a}}
|-
| {{nowrap|{{flagicon|BAN}} [[Bangladesh at the South Asian Games|Bangladesh]]}}
|{{n/a}}
|{{n/a}}
|2 times
|}

== Related ==
=== South Asian Beach Games ===
{| class=wikitable
|-  style="text-align:center; background:#c1d8ff;"
!Edition
!Year
!Host City
!Host Nation
!Top Placed Team
|-  style="text-align:center; background:#f5faff;"
|[[2011 South Asian Beach Games|I]]
|[[2011 South Asian Beach Games|2011]]
|align=left|[[Hambantota]]
|align=left|{{flag|Sri Lanka}}
|{{flagIOC2team|IND|2011 South Asian Beach Games}}
|}

=== South Asian Winter Games ===
{| class=wikitable
|-  style="text-align:center; background:#c1d8ff;"
!Edition
!Year
!Host Cities
!Host Nation
!Top Placed Team
|-  style="text-align:center; background:#f5faff;"
|[[2011 South Asian Winter Games|I]]
|[[2011 South Asian Winter Games|2011]]<ref>{{cite web|date=2010-11-25|title=South Asian Winter Games to have two opening and closing|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/more-sports/others/South-Asian-Winter-Games-to-have-two-opening-and-closing/articleshow/6987909.cms|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121104232051/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2010-11-25/others/28260089_1_auli-dehra-dun-south-asian-winter-games|archive-date=2012-11-04|access-date=2011-08-01|work=[[The Times of India]]}}</ref>
|align=left|[[Dehradun]] and [[Auli, India|Auli]]
|align=left|{{flag|India}}
|{{flagIOC2team|IND|2011 South Asian Winter Games}}
|}

== See also ==
{{col-begin}}
* [[Traditional games of South Asia]]
{{Col-1-of-4}}
* Events of the [[Olympic Council of Asia|OCA]] (Continental)
** [[Asian Games]]
** [[Asian Winter Games]]
** [[Asian Youth Games]]
** [[Asian Beach Games]]
** [[Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games]]
{{Col-2-of-4}}
* Events of the [[Olympic Council of Asia|OCA]] (Subregional)
** [[Central Asian Games]]
** [[East Asian Games]] (now defunct)
** [[East Asian Youth Games]]
** [[Southeast Asian Games]]
** [[West Asian Games]]
{{Col-3-of-4}}
* Events of the [[Asian Paralympic Committee|APC]] (Continental)
** [[Asian Para Games]]
** [[Asian Winter Para Games]]
** [[Asian Youth Para Games]]
** [[Asian Youth Winter Para Games]]
{{Col-4-of-4}}
* Events of the [[Asian Paralympic Committee|APC]] (Subregional)
** [[ASEAN Para Games]] {{col-end}}

== References ==
<references/>

== External links ==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20130603133706/http://www.southasiangames.org/ South Asian Games] – official website (archived)

{{South Asian Games}}
{{EventsOCA}}
{{International multi-sport events}}
{{Nations at the South Asian Games}}
{{Sports at the South Asian Games}}

[[Category:South Asian Games| ]]
[[Category:Asian international sports competitions]]
[[Category:Recurring sporting events established in 1984]]
[[Category:Multi-sport events in Asia]]
[[Category:Sport in South Asia]]
[[Category:1984 establishments in Asia]]