Meghalaya to host NE Olympic Games
Shillong: Meghalaya will host the second edition of the North East Olympic Games, which will start from October 30 to November 6.
The Games will feature 18 disciplines archery, athletics, badminton, basketball, boxing, football, judo, karate, shooting, table tennis, taekwondo, tennis, wushu, cycling, golf, weightlifting and wrestling.
Apart from wrestling, all the other disciplines were conducted at this year’s 4th Meghalaya Games.
A joint meeting between the North East Organizing Committee, Directorate of Sports and Youth Affairs (DSYA) and the North East Olympic Association (NEOA) was held here on Thursday to finalize the disciplines.
Meghalaya Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Banteidor Lyngdoh, who chaired the meeting, stated that the sports selected were decided based on the availability of infrastructure and on the advice of the Meghalaya State Olympic Association.
Also present were NEOA and Manipur Olympic Association president Th Radheshyam, NEOA secretary general Abraham K Techi, Meghalaya State Olympic Association working president John F Kharshiing, MSOA general secretary Finely L Pariat and other officials.
Representatives from the Olympic associations of all eight states attended (those of Sikkim and Tripura through video conference).
The DSYA stated that the venues and accommodation for the athletes and officials are being prepared on a war footing for the mega event in consultation and coordination with the MSOA.
State government departments have also been assigned different tasks for the smooth and successful conduct of the Games.
During the meeting, Lyngdoh informed that, on a recent trip to Gujarat, he had requested Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Anurag Thakur to attend the opening of the NE Olympics.
He said the Chief Ministers of all eight states and other dignitaries will also be invited.
The meeting also accepted the proposal by Techi to invite a few of the top athletes from the North East who won medals at the Tokyo Olympics and the recent Commonwealth Games as special invitees to the opening ceremony.
Radheshyam said that this edition is an important sporting event as it is part of the celebration of Meghalaya’s golden jubilee.
“The Games will also benefit the youth of the North East and promote unity and understanding among the youths,” he said. (UNI)