PANJIM: The National Games have been postponed and sources confirmed to Herald that an announcement will be made soon.
The Games are now likely to be held in October-November later this year. The Games, currently scheduled to begin on March 30, will coincide with the campaign and elections to the Lok Sabha, wherein the police force and as well as the much needed volunteers would not be available.
Sources said that Rajeev Mehta, Secretary General of Indian Olympic Association (IOA), as well as Mukesh Kumar chairman of the Games Technical Conduct Committee (GTCC) IOA expressed this concern at an official meeting of the members of Goa Olympic Association.
The new dates are expected to be known on Tuesday or later after the IOA delegation meets Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar who will take stock of the situation and also suggest new dates.
“My IOA senior colleagues are not in favour of postponement but if I talk to everyone, they will go by our decision,” said Rajeev.
Kumar and Mehta hoped that the infrastructure will be delivered in time and that certain issues like procurement of equipment would be sorted out.
“We want these Games to be the best ever National Games in the country. It is necessary that Goan athletes bag the highest number of medals for which training camps need to carry on without any break, as otherwise the exercise will be a total waste,” they said.
They further stated that they had understood the problems leading to the postponement of the Games and that the IOA was ever ready to extend their full cooperation for organising the Games in the best manner possible.
In no case, they said, will the National Games be held in 2020.
