Asian Games bid committee meets

NEW DELHI, APRIL 28. The 2006 Asian Games bid committee met here on Friday under the chairmanship of Mr. Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, Union Sports Minister. Representatives of all major National federations also attended the meeting.

Mr. Dhindsa noted that the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) bid had the necessary backing from the Central and State governments.

The iOA President, Mr. Suresh Kalmadi, hoped that Mr. Dhindsa would lead the delegation to Rio to make a presentation at the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) meeting there on May 23.

The OCA has apparently taken the opportunity of having a large number of delegates for the meeting of the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) in Rio from May 22 to 25, in convening its own meeting where the bidding cities will make their presentations. At the moment, apart from New Delhi, the other cities in the fray for hosting the 2006 Games are Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong and Doha.

Mr. Kalmadi noted that Malaysia had gained a headstart in its campaign to have Kuala Lumpur as the host for the 2006 Games as it had already estbalished personal-level contacts with NOC officials of various conuntries. ``Even though they know that we are also bidding, the Malaysian High Commissioner here has met me twice so far in this connection,'' Mr. Kalmadi informed the meeting.

The Indian proposal will be to have the Games from October 15 to 25, 2006. It is learnt that a list of 35 disciplines has been drawn up for inclusion in the proposal. A professional agency has been preparing the presentation to be made at Rio. The main thrust in the presentation would be on the birth of the Asian Games here in 1951, the successful conduct of the Games, again, in 1982 and the housing of the Asian Games flame at the National Stadium here. A preview was shown to the delegates attending the meeting here and suggestions sought for improvement.

Though it was conceded that India would not be able to match Kuala Lumpur or Hong Kong in spending on brochures and mounting a big-budget campaign, the IOA approach would be that of emphasising New Delhi's record in hosting the Games, its ideal location with regard to television audiences and time zones and the massive TV viewership within India itself.

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