Abbreviation | AWG |
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First event | 1986 Asian Winter Games in Sapporo, Japan |
Occur every | Four years |
Last event | 2017 Asian Winter Games in Sapporo-Obihiro, Japan |
Next event | 2025 Asian Winter Games in Harbin, China |
Purpose | Multi-sport event for nations on the Asian continent |
Games |
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The Asian Winter Games (AWG) is an international multi-sport event held every four years for members of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) featuring winter events. The Japanese Olympic Committee first suggested creating a winter version of the Asian Games in 1982. Their efforts were rewarded when they received hosting rights for the first edition, held in Sapporo in 1986, as the city had the infrastructure and expertise gained from hosting of the 1972 Winter Olympics.
From having only seven member OCA member nations participate in the first edition, the number of competing nations in the Winter Asiad has grown consistently. In the 2007 Asian Winter Games in Changchun, 27 out of the 45 members fielded a record number of competitors, while all 45 National Olympic Committees sent delegations for the first time in AWG history.
Although games were considered for Lebanon in 2009, they were ultimately cancelled.[1] After the 2017 Asian Winter Games in Sapporo, the next edition is scheduled to be held in Harbin in 2025.