VII Asian Games
Host cityTehran, Iran
MottoEver Onward
Nations26
Athletes3,010
Events200 in 16 sports
Opening1 September 1974
Closing16 September 1974
Opened byKing Mohammad Reza Pahlavi
(Shah of Iran)
Athlete's OathMansour Barzegar
Torch lighterGolverdi Peymani
Main venueAryamehr Stadium

The 7th Asian Games (Persian: بازی‌های آسیایی ۱۹۷۴) were held from 1 to 16 September 1974 in Tehran, Iran. The Aryamehr Sports Complex was built for the Games. The Asian Games were hosted in the Middle East for the first time. Tehran, the capital of Iran, played host to 3,010 athletes coming from 25 countries/NOCs, the highest number of participants since the inception of the Games.

Fencing, gymnastics and women's basketball were added to the existing disciplines. The games were known for the use of state-of-the-art technology, from synthetic track to photo-finish cameras.

History

Starting in 1962, the Games were hit by several crises. First, the host country Indonesia, refused to permit the participation of Israel and the Republic of China (Taiwan) due to political and religious issues. As a result, the IOC removed its sponsorship of the Games and terminated Indonesia as one of the IOC members.[1] The Asian Football Confederation (AFC),[2] International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) and International Weightlifting Federation (IWF), also removed their recognition of the Games.[3][4]

Reverse of Iranian 20 Rials coin - monument of 1974 Asian Games

In 1970, South Korea dropped its plan to host the Games due to national security crisis; however, the main reason was the financial crisis, forcing the previous host Thailand to administer the Games again in Bangkok using funds transferred from South Korea.[5] Prior to the Games, Japan was asked to host the Games, but declined due to Expo '70 in Osaka.[6] This edition also marked the first time the Games were broadcast on television throughout the world.[7]

Commemorative Gold Medal for 7th Asian Games; Tehran 1974

Track and field was one of the most popular disciplines of these games in 1974 in Tehran. Some of the famous figures of this discipline at that time in the men's category were Manouchehr Shamshiri, the Iranian track and field champion in 110 meters hurdles, 100 meters and 800 meters, Reza Entezari, 400 meters and 800 meters hurdles champion, Ahmad Goodarzi, 3000 meters hurdles champion.

Host city selection

Commemorative stamps of the 1974 Asian games by the post of Iran.

On 11 and 12 January 1968, a meeting was organised at the Bangkok, in between the representatives of nine Asian National Olympic Committees. The framework of the meeting was set up in another meeting held on 1 September 1970 during Bangkok Asian Games. Tehran was selected as host city after defeating Kuwait City and Tel Aviv.

1974 Asian Games bidding results
City NOC Round 1 Round 2
Tehran Iran Iran 19 25
Kuwait City  Kuwait 12 9
Tel Aviv  Israel 2 −

Organisation

The responsibility of organising the Seventh Asian Games was assigned to a special committee headed by Amir Abbas Hoveida, then Prime Minister of Iran.

Venues

Aryamehr Stadium view during the 1974 Asian Games.

The venue for the 1974 Asian Games was the multi-purpose sport complex– Aryamehr Sports Complex.

The stadium was designed by Abdolaziz Farmanfarmaian and rupees 100,000 persons were required for the full construction, which was completed on 1 April 1971. The stadium was named to Aryamehr, meaning the light of Aryans referring to Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi, then king of Iran.

The Games

Opening ceremony

The official inauguration of the 1974 Asian Games in Aryamehr Stadium.
Shah (King) Mohammad Reza Pahlavi during the 1974 Asian Games Inauguration.

On 1 September 1974, the Seventh Asian Games were officially opened. The list of the guests included— Shah of Iran Mohammad-Reza Pahlavi, then Prime Minister of Iran Amir Abbas Hoveida, cabinet members of Iranian Government, President of Israel Ephraim Katzir, President of South Korea Park Chung Hee, King of Thailand Bhumibol Adulyadej, diplomatic corps and representatives of participating Asian NOCs. The Aryamehr Stadium was filled with an estimated 100,000 spectators. After a speech by the president of Asian Games Federation, HRH Yadavendra Singh, Mohammad Reza Shah officially opened the Games. The ceremony featured a card stunt performed by students of Chulalongkorn University in Thailand.[8]

Sports

Participating nations

The Asian Games Federation conference, which was held ten months before the Games, decided to expel the Republic of China (Taiwan) from the games and accepted the entry of the People's Republic of China. The Arab nations, Pakistan, China and North Korea refused to play with Israel in tennis, fencing, basketball and football. This was the last time Israel competed in the Asian Games.

Non-competing nations The following only sent non-competing delegations:

  •  Saudi Arabia

Calendar

In the following calendar for the 1974 Asian Games, each blue box represents an event competition, such as a qualification round, on that day. The yellow boxes represent days during which medal-awarding finals for a sport were held. The numeral indicates the number of event finals for each sport held that day. On the left, the calendar lists each sport with events held during the Games, and at the right, how many gold medals were won in that sport. There is a key at the top of the calendar to aid the reader.

OCOpening ceremony ●Event competitions 1Event finals CCClosing ceremony
September 1974 2nd
Mon		 3rd
Tue		 4th
Wed		 5th
Thu		 6th
Fri		 7th
Sat		 8th
Sun		 9th
Mon		 10th
Tue		 11th
Wed		 12th
Thu		 13th
Fri		 14th
Sat		 15th
Sun		 Gold
medals
Athletics 3 3 3 6 6 1 13 35
Badminton ● ● ● ● 2 ● ● ● ● 5 7
Basketball ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● 1 1 2
Boxing ● ● ● ● ● ● ● 11 11
Cycling – Road 1 1 2
Cycling – Track 1 ● 1 ● 2 4
Diving ● ● 1 1 1 1 4
Fencing ● 1 1 ● 1 1 1 1 ● 1 1 8
Field hockey ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● 1 1
Football ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● 1 1
Gymnastics ● 2 1 1 10 14
Shooting 2 3 5 4 5 3 22
Swimming 4 5 4 3 4 5 25
Table tennis ● ● ● 2 ● ● 5 7
Tennis ● ● ● 1 ● ● ● ● ● 1 3 2 7
Volleyball ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● 1 1 2
Water polo ● ● ● ● ● 1 1
Weightlifting 6 6 6 9 27
Wrestling ● ● 10 ● ● 10 20
Total gold medals1216182120121714810192022200
CeremoniesOCCC
September 1974 2nd
Mon		 3rd
Tue		 4th
Wed		 5th
Thu		 6th
Fri		 7th
Sat		 8th
Sun		 9th
Mon		 10th
Tue		 11th
Wed		 12th
Thu		 13th
Fri		 14th
Sat		 15th
Sun		 Gold
medals

Medal table

Medalist countries

The top ten ranked NOCs at these Games are listed below. The host nation, Iran, is highlighted.

  *   Host nation (Iran)

RankNationGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1 Japan (JPN)754951175
2 Iran (IRN)*36281781
3 China (CHN)334627106
4 South Korea (KOR)16261557
5 North Korea (PRK)15141746
6 Israel (ISR)74819
7 India (IND)4121228
8 Thailand (THA)42814
9 Indonesia (INA)34411
10 Mongolia (MGL)25815
11–19Remaining794157
Totals (19 entries)202199208609

Iran-Israel football match

In September 1974, the national teams of Iran and Israel faced each other in a soccer match that most Iranians, especially the lower and middle classes as well as the clergy, saw as nothing less than a war. This competition was held at the height of the Arab-Israeli conflict and for many Iranians, it was a symbol of the struggle against Zionism. The Iranian national team, with the support of its passionate fans, eventually won 2-1 and this victory was celebrated as a national event.[9]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Track: Asian Games Dropped By Olympics". Daytona Beach. 1962-08-23. Retrieved 2010-08-14.
  2. ↑ "第4届 1962年雅加达亚运会". data.sports.163.com. Archived from the original on 2011-07-03. Retrieved 2010-08-14.
  3. ↑ "Penalty Dealt to Indonesia". Spokane Daily Chronicles. 1962-09-13. Retrieved 2010-08-14.
  4. ↑ "Warning". The Age. 1962-08-30. Retrieved 2010-08-14.
  5. ↑ "第六届 1970年曼谷亚运会". Data.sports.163.com. Archived from the original on 2011-07-03. Retrieved 2010-07-22.
  6. ↑ "Thailand's Sporting Spirit". Pattaya Mail Sports. Retrieved 2010-07-22.
  7. ↑ "第六届 1970年曼谷亚运会". data.sports.163. Archived from the original on 2011-07-03. Retrieved 2010-10-09.
  8. ↑ Assumption Association (2003). อัสสัมชัญประวัติ (Assumption College 115th anniversary commemoration) (in Thai). Bangkok: Assumption Association. pp. 114–124. ISBN 974-91380-1-5.
  9. ↑ https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13537121.2023.2206214
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