The Hindu : Sport : It would be the best: Assam CM

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Friday, Feb 09, 2007
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It would be the best: Assam CM

A. Vinod

GUWAHATI: The Assam Chief Minister, Tarun Gogoi, on Thursday stressed that the State was all set to achieve peace, prosperity and development through the conduct of the 33rd National Games, starting here on Friday.

Addressing a joint press conference along with the Indian Olympic Association President, Suresh Kalmadi, the Chief Minister said that it gave him a touch of satisfaction and pride that Assam was finally ready to host the 10-day extravaganza. "We had faced several constraints all the way in terms of finance, insurgency and floods. Yet, we took courage and strove hard and now we are all pleased at the final result. It is the enthusiasm of the people of Assam, especially its youth, which helped us to work doggedly in preparing the best of facilities.

Hopeful

"I am hopeful that this Games would be the best, even better than the previous edition which was conducted in Hyderabad," the Assam Chief Minister added. Referring to a request made earlier by the IOA President regarding the utilisation of the Games Village for the conduct of future competitions and National camps, Mr. Gogoi, who also serves as the Assam Olympic Association President, readily announced that accommodation for 1,000 sportspersons would be set apart at the end of the Games for the above purposes.

Mr. Kalmadi was all praise for the Assam Government and the Chief Minister as he announced the readiness of the State to host the Games. "Assam is ready and it is steadily heading towards hosting the biggest and best ever Games." He said that the IOA was all for promoting sports and games in the North East and found pleasure that no athlete or parent had written to him expressing concern over the IOA decision to go ahead with the Games in Assam.

"First it was Manipur in 1999 and now it is Assam in 2007. It only shows how serious we are in our endeavour to promote sports in this region. The National Games is all about peace and harmony, using sports as a vehicle to promote harmony among the various sections of the people of India," he said.

Mr. Kalmadi also announced that a total of 6,999 athletes, including 2836 women, and 1446 team officials drawn from 29 States, three Union Territories and the Services would be participating in the event. Besides, the introduction of Rugby 7s and lawn bowls was aimed at preparing the Indian team for the 2010 Commonwealth Games as these disciplines figure in the Delhi Games. Karate and wushu would be the other two new events figuring in the 32-discipline Games here.

Nagaland would be making its debut in the Games here. Given the poor weather conditions, it has been decided to shift the kabaddi competitions to the Kanaklata indoor stadium.

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