India’s Asian Games dream alive
NEW DELHI: The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) has extended the deadline for India to submit the bid to stage the 2019 Asian Games by a “couple of days”.
“Just now I have received a letter from Husain Al-Musallam, director-general, OCA, saying the deadline has been extended by a couple of days to accommodate India’s request,” IOA secretary-general, Rajeev Mehta told HT. The OCA letter also stated that the extension — July 1 was the deadline — beyond that would not be possible as it has to deliberate and decide on the Games venue within two months, Mehta added.
India had sought a 15-day deadline extension to prepare the bid documents and also to enable the government to evaluate the proposal before the final bid, including expenditure estimates and infrastructural facilities including the Games Village, is submitted.
In a last-minute dash, the IOA, after getting the sports ministry’s go-ahead, had prepared a budget amounting to ` 5,500 crore to host the Games besides suggesting certain additional requirements like setting up water sports facilities in Uttarakhand and facilities in Uttar Pradesh to host cycling events. IOA’s estimate is more than 40% less than the $1.6 billion (approx ` 9,620 crore) estimated to cost for hosting this year’s Asiad in Incheon, South Korea. Having hosted the Commonwealth Games in 2010, Delhi already boasts of adequate sports facilities and infrastructure.
However, the government is still awaiting the detailed proposal from the IOA and it had not reached the sports minister’s office until Wednesday evening.
“Until now, my situation is this, I have asked for the comprehensive proposal from the IOA but it is yet to submit it to us,” sports minister Sarbananda Sonowal told HT. “It was the IOA which had come up with this proposal (to host the Games) and the government had supported it. Now, they have to take the initiative.”
The IOA had dragged its feet initially due to differences between senior officials before getting down to putting together the document.
Although corruption allegations marred the build-up to the Delhi Commonwealth Games, the minister was upbeat.
“We’ve to improve our situation and image. We should not always look at the negative side. We can get over such things with our credibility and achievements.” On June 11, HT had reported the government’s keenness to host the XVIII edition of the Games. In April, citing financial reasons and a lack of preparedness, Vietnam had relinquished its right to host the Games. It had won the bid in 2012. The bidders for 2019 edition include Indonesia, Qatar, and a joint bid by Malaysia and Singapore. India had bid for the 2014 Games too but lost out to Incheon.