The Far East and South Pacific Games for the Disabled or FESPIC Games have been held irregularly since 1975. Disabled athletes from the South Pacific and Asia are eligible to compete. The most recent games were held in Bangkok, Thailand in January of 1999, one short month after the conclusion of the Asian Games.

The FESPIC and Asian Games had adopted the strategy used by the Olympic and Paralympic Games of having both games in the same city. The 2002 Asian Games and 2002 FESPIC Games were held in the city of Pusan, South Korea.

However, in 2006, the games will once again be held in different locations, The Asian Games in Doha, Qatar, The FESPIC Games in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

FESPIC Games close in Busan

November, 2002

Korea's busy international sports year is finally winding down, with the close of the FESPIC Games (Far East and South Pacific Games for the Disabled) having followed the Asian Games and World Cup.

The Chinese delegation finished on top of the medals table for the fifth consecutive time.

Though the North Koreas were the most celebrated delegation at the Asian Games, they did not send any athletes to the FESPIC Games.

The debate over monetary support for disabled athletes was again raised. Some Korean disabled athletes noting that disabled athletes from Korea were given, from the Ministry of Health and Welfare, just two thirds the financial reward than non-disabled athletes received.

The 2002 Asian Games and 2002 FESPIC games proved once again that it is much easier to win medals in international disabled competitions than in non-disabled competitions, and that it would not be reasonable to pay the same amounts of money for medals at disabled competitions because the competition is not equal.

At the FESPIC Games, 20 different athletes won a total of four gold medals or more, while at the Asian Games, just two athletes won four or more gold medals.

At the FESPIC Games, one athlete won six gold medals, seven athletes won five gold medals, and eleven athletes, four gold medals.

At the 2002 Asian Games, Xu Yanwei, a swimmer from China, won five gold medals, and Zhang Nan, a gymnast, also from China, won four gold medals.

2002 FESPIC Games Medals

FESPIC Games getting scant attention in Busan

October 2002

With just days to go before the Far East and South Pacific Games for the Disabled, or FESPIC Games, begin in Busan, Korea, Korean papers have been almost silent on the games.

One editorial noted this and asked the media and citizens of Busan to support the event adding that the games theme is "Challenge Toward Equality".

Some 2,500 athletes and officials from 43 countries are expected for the games.

Two months ago, some 30 track and field athletes from Korea held a sit-in rally, demanding better treatment from the government.

Other countries are taking the games seriously.

China's Xinhua news agency reports that the Chinese team is sending a large delegation in hopes of retaining the FESPIC games medals crown.

At the Bangkok games (held in January 1999, one month after the 1998 Asian Games), China won 205 gold, 90 silver and 45 bronze medals. China has headed the medals table at the last four FESPIC Games.

The Chinese delegation for the week-long Games here includes 206 athletes, The athletes had trained for 65 days at 11 camps across China.

Paralympics New Zealand is sending 22 athletes to give its athletes experience for the Paralympics in Athens in 2004.

Meanwhile, the flame for the FESPIC Games was lit on October 19, on Mt. Mani on Ganghwa Island, near the port city of Incheon.

It will be relayed to the opening ceremony on a 1,732 kilometer run with 713 torchbearers.

FESPIC Games to Follow in Busan

October 2002

Though the competitions seem to be progressing quite well at the Asian Games, spectator interest is still not at a high level.

Busan still has one more games to go, the FESPIC Games, (Far East And South Pacific Games for the Disabled) which run from October 26 to Nov. 1. and interest seems to be low for these games as well.

The FESPIC games are still searching for enough volunteers to successfully help stage these games.