The Asian Track and Field Championships were originally planned at the 1962 Asian Games through the initiative of Major General Aziz Salleh the Chief of the Indonesian Federation (PASI), but went a-begging by the “emergence” of the ill conceived first and last Games of the Emerging Forces (GANEFO).  The idea to hold the Championships was revived by the Malaysian A.A.U. President, Tan Sri Mohamed Ghazali Shafie, at the 1966 Asian Games at Bangkok , which again met no better fate as circumstances outside the control of athletics idealists intervened.  At the 1970 Asian Games, the Punjab State Sports Minister, Sardar Umrao Singh, took up the challenge and plans for the First Asian Championships at Delhi were finalized with Mr R.L. Anand appointed Director of the Organisation when political developments in the sub-Continent thrust the plans not only out of gear but out of sight for another two years.  However, they kept up the tempo and though unable to hold the Championships, they called for a meeting of the Asian Athletic Team officials at the 1972 Munich Olympic Games.  It was there that Governor Jose C. Sering, President of the Philippines Track and Field Association (PATAFA) took up the challenge and history was made when the First Asian Track and Field Championships got off the launching pad and was held at the Marikina Stadium near Manila in November 1973.

The Constitution of the Asian Amateur Athletic Association and the Rules governing the Asian Track and Field Championships were ratified as amended at the First Asian AAA Congress Meeting at Manila, Philippines, in November, 20-21, 1973 and Governor Jose C. Sering became the first President of the properly constituted Asian Amateur Athletic Association and Mr Maurice R. Nicholas of Singapore, the first Secretary-General.

The Asian AAA Constitution was presented at the 29^th Congress of the International Amateur Athletic Federation held in Rome in August 29-31, 1974, and was accepted after a vote was taken.

The first Constitution of the Asian AAA ruled that Presidents served only their term of office until after the Championshps and as the second Championships were held at Seoul, Mr Lee Choo Hoon who was then the President of the Korea Amateur Athletic Federation became the Association’s second President.  However, Mr Lee Choo Hoon served beyond his term of office of two years because there was no host for the 3^rd Championships because of the conflict in the middle east between Israel and the Arab Countries.  Once again circumstances outside the control of athletic idealists intervened.  An extra-ordinary Congress of the Asian AAA was held in Seoul on the 18^th of February 1978 to resolve the issue and to prevent the demise of the Asian Championships.  It was at this Congress that the Japan Amateur Athletic Federation came to the rescue by announcing that they would organize the 3^rd Championships.  The Congress at Tokyo held on May 30, 1979, elected Mr Seiko Yasuda the 3^rd President of the Association.  The Congress also changed the rules, for the sake of continuity, to allow the officers and members of the Council to serve four (4) year terms.  There was also no limitations to the number of terms an officer may serve on the Council provided he was elected at the Congress.  Mr Seiko Yasuda served three terms over twelve years until his request for retirement in 1991.  It was during Mr Seiko Yasuda’s term of office that many changes were effected in the Asian AAA.  A proper Asian Secretariat was set up in Singapore with Mr Maurice R. Nicholas in charge and one in Japan with Mr Yasuda looking after the office in Tokyo .  An official bank account for the Association was set up in Singapore .  It was during this period that the IAAF Council decided to provide an administration grant for area offices.  This and the funds generated by Mr Yasuda increased the efficiency of the Association and communication between the Secretariat and the Members improved greatly.  The Asian Secretariat was considered one of the best Secretariat by the IAAF.  During his term of office, Mr Yasuda organised once again the 4^th Asian Championships.  He introduced the first Asian Junior Championships in 1986 which was hosted by Indonesia .  This was followed by the introduction of the Asian Marathon Championships which was also held in Japan at Fukuoka .  Mr Yasuda also introduced sponsorship for Asian events and the Asian Track & Field News was started with the sponsorship by Asics Corporation.

In 1991 at the Congress at Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia , Mr Mohamad (Bob) Hasan became the 4^th President of the Asian AAA.  It was a natural consequence because Mr Mohamad Hasan as President of the Indonesia Amateur Athletic Federation (PASI) became actively involved in Asian events.  He organised the 6^th Asian Athletic Championships in 1985 at Jakarta and the 1^st Asian Junior Championships in 1986 also in Jakarta .

In 1995 at the 11^th Congress of the Asian AAA held at Jakarta, by proposals of the Athletic Federation of the Republic of Kazakhstan, it was decided to change the cycle of the Senior and Junior Championships from odd to even years for the Senior Championships and from even to odd years for the Junior Championships to be in phase with the world athletics calendar of events and to give our junior athletes a natural progress to our Senior Championships.

Due to the change the 7^th Asian Junior Athletic Championships were held at Bangkok , Thailand , in 1997 and the 12^th Asian Athletic Championships were held at Fukuoka , Japan , in 1998.

The 13^th Congress of the Asian AAA was held in Jakarta , Indonesia , on 1^st September 2000.  It was the first time that the Congress was held after the four days of the 13^th Asian Athletics Championships.  This change was to give our athletes going to Sydney for the Olympics the option to leave Jakarta early.  The elections of the 13^th Congress of the Asian AAA were one of the most keenly contested elections in the history of the Association.

It started off with five candidates vying for the post of the President but by election time the contest was between the incumbent, Mr Mohamad Hasan, and Shri. Suresh Kalmadi of India .  It was a closely contested election with four votes separating the victor and the loser.  Shri. Suresh Kalmadi garnered 19 votes to Mr Hasan’s 15 votes to become the 5^th President to lead the Asian AAA.

It was at this Congress that the AAA of Sri Lanka were awarded the honour to host the 14^th Asian Athletic Championships.  This will probably be the last time that the Championships will be held in the even years.  One of the early actions taken by the new President, Shri. Suresh Kalmadi, was to reverse the decision of the 11^th Congress to revert back to the old format of having the Senior Championships in the odd years and the Junior Championships in even years.

Therefore the 10^th Asian Junior Athletic Championships will be held at Bangkok in 2002 and the 15^th Asian Athletic Championships will be held in 2003.  This decision was dealt with at the Special Meeting of the AAAA Congress held at the Shaw Centre, Edmonton , Canada , on 31^st July 2001.

Maurice R. Nicholas
Secretary-Treasurer
Asian Athletics Association