The Hindu : Sport : Afro-Asian Games indefinitely postponed

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Tuesday, Jul 24, 2007
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Sport - Sports : General

Afro-Asian Games indefinitely postponed

Principal Correspondent

NEW DELHI: The second Afro-Asian Games, scheduled to be held in Algiers from July 25 to August 4, has been indefinitely postponed.

Africa, the host continent, has blamed Asia for not showing any interest in the Games that was launched to further harmony between the two continents.

Algiers, which hosted the ninth All-Africa Games from July 9 with the closing ceremony held on Monday, was apparently forced to take up the Games as no other African nation seemed keen.

“It was impossible to organise the Games because Asians failed to line up the Asian Games gold medallists,” was the scathing remark made by Lassana Palenfo, President of the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa and of the Afro-Asian Games Council.

Palenfo said he had sent a letter to the Algerian Sports Minister Hachemi Djar to request the Games be postponed. With 2008 being an Olympic year, the Afro-Asian Games Council will have to look to 2009 to find the new dates.

Poor response

Contrary to the participation of about 2000 athletes in the inaugural Games in Hyderabad in 2003, Africa had hopes that at least 500 would reach Algiers. But less than 150 African athletes were ready, while Asia could manage only 100 confirmed entries.

Djaafar Yefsah, the chief of the Algerian Organising Committee, said that Africa was ready with its best athletes who participated in the All Africa Games, but Asia failed to live up to its commitment of sending Asian Games medallists.

The Indian Olympic Association, which came up with the idea of the Games, itself was not keen on sending the team as Government clearance was yet to come by. The sports calendar is also packed. Most of the World championships are scheduled in a month’s time and are crucial as they serve as Olympic qualifiers.

Despite being aware of the Afro-Asian Games dates, the Asian athletics championship was scheduled during the same time. The Asian championship is being held in Amman, Jordan, from July 25 to 29.

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