Team Herald
PANJIM: Following a lengthy and a heated Indian Olympic Association Executive Committee meeting in New Delhi, the Goa Olympic Association (GOA) general secretary Gurudatta Bhakta ‘managed to convince’ the committee to host the games in Goa, but failed to resolve the penalty issue.
“After lengthy discussion, we managed to convince the committee to have the Games in Goa, though there were opposition from many. The games could be held in October-November” revealed Gurudatta Bhakta following his meeting in New Delhi.
It may be recalled that the Games, scheduled to be held from March-April, had been postponed raising concerns over the ‘peculiar situation’ due to the by-elections and Lok Sabha elections in the State in February/March which could affect the organizing of the Games.
After which IOA secretary general Rajeev Mehta had said that the IOA will impose a penalty of Rs 10 crore on Goa if it does not hold the Games as scheduled. However, the GOA delegates managed to persuade the committee to not to impose the fine.
“As far as penalty is concerned, I requested that they should impose the fine and the issue should be solved amicably. Since they couldn’t come to a conclusion on imposition of the penalty a committee has been formed comprising of Games Technical Chairman, Indian Olympic Assocaition (IOA) President and IOA general secretary,” added Bhakta.
“The committee with now meet the government officials to decide upon the penalty in the next 10 days. Now it’s just sitting and finding a solution,” added Bhakta.
