AsianGameshistory---Reuters.Updated:2006-11-2715:25BEIJING1990Chinahostedtheeventforthefirsttimewith6,122athletesfrom37countriesparticipatingin27sports.Tackwondo,includedforthefirsttimeinthepreviousGames,wasexcluded,alon

　　AsianGameshistory---Reuters.Updated:2006-11-2715:25

　　BEIJING1990

　　Chinahostedtheeventforthefirsttimewith6,122athletesfrom37countriesparticipatingin27sports.Tackwondo,includedforthefirsttimeinthepreviousGames,wasexcluded,alongwithequestrianevents.Boxing,canoeing,kabaddi,wushuandsepaktakrawwereintroduced.

　　Topthreenations:

　　GoldSilverBronzeTotal

　　China18410751342

　　SouthKorea545473181

　　Japan386076174

　　HIROSHIMA1994

　　Forthefirsttime,theGameswerenotheldinacapitalcity.HiroshimainJapanhosted6,828athletesfrom42countriesparticipatingin34sports.FormerSovietrepublicsKazakstan,Kyrgyzstan,Tajikistan,TurkmenistanandUzbekistancompetedforthefirsttimeandCambodiareturnedtotheGamesafter20years.

　　Baseball,karate,modernpentathlonandtenniswereadded.

　　Topthreenations:

　　GoldSilverBronzeTotal

　　China1258358266

　　SouthKorea637579218

　　Japan635664183

　　BANGKOK1998

　　TheGamesreturnedtoThailandforafourthtime.Rugby,billiards,snookerandsquashwereadded.Some6,700athletesfrom41countriesparticipatedin36sportsbutthehostnationcouldnotbreakintothetopthreemedalwinnersastheyhaddoneinthe5thand6thGames.

　　Topthreenations:

　　GoldSilverBronzeTotal

　　China1297867374

　　SouthKorea654653164

　　Japan526168181

　　PUSAN2002

　　With44countriesinvolved,the14thAsianGamesfeatured38sportsand420events.AfghanistanreturnedtocompetitiveactionandEastTimorwasrepresentedforthefirsttimesinceitsindependence.ChinatoppedthemedalstableforthesixthconsecutiveGames.

　　Topthreenations:

　　GoldSilverBronzeTotal

　　China1508474308

　　SouthKorea968084260

　　Japan447372189

　　DOHA2006

　　Qatarwillhost45teamstakingpartin39sportsand423events.ThisisthesecondtimeafterIranin1974thattheGamesarebeingstagedintheMiddleEast.

　　60.FromthearticlewecaninferthefollowingEXCEPT______.

　　A.IranwasthefirstcountryintheMiddle