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![[First Asian Games flag]](../images/i/int@oca2.gif)
by Erik Bell, November 25, 2002.
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I found the following provisions of the OCA Constitution that pertain to the OCA (Asian Games) Flag:
Art. 26 Flag of the Council.
The Council shall have its own Flag which will be as follows: The Flag of the Council will have a white background with no border. In the centre it will have a bright sun in red with 16 rays and a white circle in the middle of the disc of the sun. Under the sun there will be interlaced rings in gold in a semi-circle. The number of interlaced rings will correspond to the number of Asian National Olympic Committees affiliated to the Council. The Flag will also have the five Olympic rings at the top and the words "Ever Onward" will also be shown with the Olympic rings. The Flag will be approved by the E.B. and the General Assembly. The Flag of the Council or any part of it will be registered as a trade mark and cannot be used for any purpose without the prior consent of the President, O.C.A. The Council's Flag shall be the sole property of the Council.
Art. 27 Emblem of the Council.
The Council shall have its own Emblem which will be as follows: The sun and the interlaced rings as shown in the Flag together with the motto "Ever Onward" in dark blue shall constitute the Emblem of the Council. The Emblem and Motto of the Council shall be the sole property of the Council and cannot be used without the prior consent of the President.
Art. 28 Council Hymn.
The Council shall have its own Sports Hymn which will be selected by the E.B. and approved by the General Assembly. The Sports Hymn of the Council shall be the sole property of the Council and cannot be used without the prior written consent of the President.
Reported by Erik Bell, February 13, 2003.
![[First Asian Games flag]](../images/i/int@asg1.gif)
by Erik Bell, November 25, 2002.
In the 1940's Guru Dutt Sondhi, IOC member for India, proposed an Olympic-style competition among the nations of India. In response the Asian Games Federation (AGF) was created on Feburary 13, 1949. The AGF adopted a symbol consisting of a red sun. Below the sun was an arc of interlocking rings. The number of rings was equal to the number of member nations of AGF. Thus there were 11 rings in the original logo. As each member was added over the years the number of rings grew, too. This flag of the AGF consisted of this logo on a white field. This same flag, with an ever growing number of rings, served as the ceremonial flag of the games from 1951-1982. I've seen a photo in the January 1983 issue of Olympic Review that seems to show the games motto "EVER ONWARD" in an arc above the sun on the ceremonial flag. This suggests the motto may have been added to the logo and flag at some point.
The organizing committee of the first Asian Games, at the closing ceremony, presented to the organizers of the second Asian Games a smaller flag. This flag was identical to the ceremonial flag except for two changes. Above the sun was placed black letters in two rows spelling out "FIRST ASIAN GAMES" and "NEW DEHLI 1951". The flag is edged on all four sides with long gold fringe. An unusual feature of this flag is that it hangs from a gold cord attached to the two upper corners. The middle of the cord hangs on a hook attached to a pole. This flag is handed down, along with the First Asian Games Torch, from host city to host city at the closing ceremony.
On December 5, 1982, the AGF was replaced by the Olympic Council of Asia. The OCA adopted the old logo and added the games motto "EVER ONWARD" above the sun. The motto is attributed to Guru Dutt Sondhi. Below the rings was added the name "OLYMPIC COUNCIL OF ASIA" in another arc. The 1st President of OCA, Sheikh Fahad Al-Sabah of Kuwait, added the Olympic Rings above the motto in 1983. The ceremonial flag was changed for the Tenth Asian Games (and First Asian Winter Games), in 1986, to display the new logo. The First Asian Games Flag (and Torch) continued to be handed down without alteration.
At the closing ceremony of the Twelth Asian Games in Hiroshima, the organizing committee presented a new flag to the next host city. The OCA flag is identical to the ceremonial flag and is edged in long gold fringe on three sides. This flag is now handed down from host city to host city along side the First Asian Games Flag and Torch.
I found the January 1983 and November issues of Olympic Review (at aafla.org) to be helpful in this research as well as the OCA site.
Erik Bell, November 25, 2002.
I don't what year it was presented, but a different OCA Flag is handed down at the
Asian Winter Games. This flag is identical to the summer one but does not have
gold fringe on the edges. The Asian Winter Games started in 1986 so this flag
can't be any older than that.
Erik Bell, November 25, 2002.
The OCA flag being waved at the Asian Winter Games from the opening ceremony had
no gold fringe on it. Later I found another one from the closing ceremony of the
same Asian Winter Games that shows the OCA flag being passed to the next host
city. This flag has the gold fringe on it, just like the summer version,
although I don't what the difference between the two OCA flags is.
Erik Bell, 30 November 2002.