Goa has its way at Macau meet, Acolop okays Jan 18-29
FRANCIS X RIBEIRO
PANJIM: The trouble-ridden Lusofonia Games 2013, has officially been postponed to January 2014, next year, and will now be held from January 18 to 29, 2014.
The decision was arrived at the ACOLOP General Assembly under the leadership of its president Alex Vong, held at the plush Sheraton Hotel at the Sands Cotai Central in Tapai, Macau.
According to sources, the ACOLOP Chef de Mission will now be visiting Goa in the first week of December, to check the preparedness of the infrastructure before endorsing the go ahead.
The Goa delegation comprising of Keshav Chandra, CEO Lusofonia Games Goa, Gurudatta Bhakta, the Secretary of the Goa Olympic Association and Sandip Jacques, the Executive Director of Sports Authority of Goa, tried their level best to convince the delegates of ACOLOP.
Midway in the meeting, a consensus eluded the ACOLOP bosses of when was the best time for the Lusofonia Games to be held in Goa. It is learnt that Keshav Chandra had offered the month of January in an effort to save the Games after several delegates expressed reservations.
He declared that Goa would be ready for the Games in January but not later, as the Games would clash with the general elections. The election, which is around the months of February to May, would be an obstacle for the Lusofonia Games. Keshav said, that the entire Government machinery would be engaged in duty with the general elections from February. He also said that post-elections school examinations will follow after which monsoon will arrive in Goa.
Reports suggested that the ACOLOP did try to postpone the Games beyond February-March 2014 but Goa stuck to its stand and got its way.
It is also learnt that the member nations also appreciated that the visa issue for countries that do not have direct diplomatic relations with India has been resolved and these countries will be provided with a temporary landing facility for the Games.
Meanwhile, Sports Minister Ramesh Tawadkar, speaking to Herald welcomed the decision and said that the work on bookings of hotels, transportation, etc, would now begin in the right earnest.
On the issue of non-Goan players participating at the Games, Tawadkar pointed out that a rethink would have to be done in this regards. “The infrastructure will be ready by October 28,” he concluded.
Surprisingly, according to unofficial sources, it was decided that India will raise its flag and the Indian Anthem would be played on ceremonial occasions during the Games. The sudden change of guard is seen as a surprise in view of the IOC ban on IOA.
