The 1966 Bangkok Asian Games restored full regional participation by readmitting Taiwan and Israel after their controversial exclusion in 1962.
Key Facts
- Dates
- 9–20 December 1966
- Edition
- 5th Asian Games (V Asiad)
- Sports contested
- 16
- Total events
- 142
- Participating nations
- 18
- Athletes and officials
- 2,500
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
The 1962 Asian Games in Jakarta, hosted by Indonesia, saw Taiwan and Israel barred from participation due to political pressure. This exclusion drew widespread criticism from the broader Asian sports community and the Olympic movement, creating pressure to restore inclusive participation at the next edition.
The 1966 Asian Games were held in Bangkok, Thailand, from 9 to 20 December 1966. Eighteen nations sent approximately 2,500 athletes and officials to compete across 142 events in 16 sports. Notably, the games marked the debut of women's volleyball as an official discipline in the Asian Games programme.
Taiwan and Israel were readmitted, reversing the politically motivated ban imposed at the 1962 Games and reaffirming the multi-sport event's commitment to broader regional participation. The introduction of women's volleyball set a precedent for expanding women's sports representation in subsequent Asian Games editions.
Result
at Bangkok, Thailand