Asian Games 2018 to feature 39 sports

The Asian Games 2018 in Indonesia will feature 39 sports. 

The new additions to the games are the card game bridge, Indonesian martial art pencak silat, jujitsu, paragliding, jet ski and mountain climbing.

On the other hand, cricket, which was played at the last two Asian Games, is being dropped after the OCA complained that top sides sent weakened squads.

The number of sports is three times greater than at the 2014 games in Incheon in South Korea, despite the event’s enormous size having sparked criticism in the past. It also surpasses the 33 sports planned for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.

Indonesia was chosen to be the host after Viet Nam’s withdrawal from the bidding process in April 2014. The Asian Games 2018 will be held from August 18 to September 2, with most events slated for Jakarta and Palembang.

The country hosted the Asian Games in 1962 and Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) in 2011.