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Games postponed to December

By Our Sports Reporter

HYDERABAD AUG. 24. The 2002 National Games, scheduled to be held from November 15 to 25 in Hyderabad, have been put off and will now be held from December 13 to 23 at the request of the Indian Olympic Association. This announcement came as a dampener even as the there was predictable euphoria after the Games mascot — Veera, an Ongole bull representing the fighting spirit, endurance and ambition — was released amidst fanfare by the Governor, C.Rangarajan, here today.

In another related development, the IOA executive committee meeting late in the evening also decided to include netball, sepak tekraw, beach volleyball and triathlon in the main competition which originally featured 26 disciplines and roller-skating as demonstration sport on the request of the host, Andhra Pradesh Olympic Association.

Briefing newsmen, Mr.Suresh Kalmadi, president of IOA, said that most of the National Federations felt that the athletes deserved a fair amount of rest after the Busan Asian Games as they had been undergoing training camps for the last two years for one event or the other, the hosts were requested to postpone the Games by three weeks. "We are grateful to the Chief Minister, Mr.N. Chandrababu Naidu, for acceding to our plea and the Games will now be held from December 13 to 23,'' the IOA chief said.

"There are absolutely no complaints from our side on any front as far as conduct of the Games is concerned. Worldclass infrastructure is getting ready well ahead of the time-frame set up by us only,'' Mr.Kalmadi said to a query. "It is the IOA which sought the postponement,'' he asserted.

Mr.Kalmadi also informed that the first-leg of the Asian Grand Prix athletic meet next year will be held in Hyderabad in May, the other three editions in Colombo, Bangkok and Manila. "Let me it clear that Hyderabad will be given a permanent status as host in our calendar in view of the international standard infrastructure that is available and also for the excellent hospitality,'' he said.

Mr.Randhir Singh, secretary general of IOA, reminded that India was making a serioius bid to host the 2010 Commonwealth Games and the 2012 Olympics. "We are visibly pleased with the performance int he just-concluded Commonwealth Games and hope to improve upon the results in the coming international events,'' he added.

Earlier, Dr.Rangarajan unveiled the mascot, Veera, the famous Ongole bull of Andhra which is deemed as a symbol of the characteristics of the game — power, strength, passion, confidence and endurance. The bull holding aloft the torch is the mascot for the Games.

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