The 38th National Games may be postponed due to digging of athletics track in Dehradun. Now the games can be held between 15 February to 2 March instead of 28 January to 14 February. Today (on Tuesday) the Chief Minister and Sports Minister can meet in the government and formally announce the new dates. According to sources related to IOA, questions were raised about the state’s sports preparations in the GTCC meeting with the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) in New Delhi last Sunday. Some members of the federation presented the photo of the athletics track dug up in the Sports Stadium of Dehradun and the work going on there with JCB in front of IOA President PT Usha. It was alleged that the track has been dug arbitrarily. It will take more than two months to prepare it, in such a situation how will the games be held. More questions were raised in the meeting. During this, a suggestion was also made to shift the athletics event to Haldwani. Late in the evening, a letter was issued by the IOA to the Uttarakhand government that the Asian Winter Games are to be held in China between 7th and 14th February. Therefore, the national games should be held between 15th February and 2nd March, so that the players from different states of the country participating there can also participate in the national games.
Allegations and counter-allegations between the government and the federations
Now the government is busy saving its face for its previous claims. Sources say that efforts are being made to put the ball of allegations in each other’s court. Sports officials are saying that the federations of all the games are not ready yet. At the same time, the federations are saying that the ground preparations have not been done as much as the government claimed. The camps have not been set up yet.
Athletics track is not an obstacle
The government’s preparations are complete to hold the games from 28th January. The track is not an obstacle. Due to moisture below, a part of it had to be dug, which will be made ready by 25th December with day and night work. The Sports Directorate is working 24 hours on the preparations. Video conferencing is also held on preparations at 9 am and 9 pm. Inspection of sports venues has started late at night. – Amit Sinha, Special Principal Secretary Sports
Cannot say anything about the new dates right now. All federations are ready for the games. The athletics track was dug up without bringing it to the notice of the association. It could have been treated without digging it up. – Mahesh Negi, President, Uttarakhand Olympic Association
