The 36th edition of the National Games is currently being held across six cities of Gujarat - Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar, Surat, Vadodara, Rajkot and Bhavnagar. The Games got underway on September 29 and will conclude on October 10. The competition has already witnessed several upcoming and well-established stars of Indian sports prove their mettle across disciplines. Amidst the ongoing National Games, the Indian Olympic Association came up with a big announcement (IOA).
The IOA on October 08 (Saturday) confirmed that Goa will host the 37th edition of the National Games in October next year (2023). The Goa state government has conveyed to the IOA its in-principal approval to host the next edition of the National Games.
In a letter to Ajit Roy, Secretary, Sports and Youth Affairs, Goa, IOA Secretary General Rajeev Mehta wrote: "IOA is pleased to note the wholehearted support of the Government of Goa to host the 37th National Games in Goa in 2023, hence conveying IOA's approval to organise the 37th National Games in Goa.
"The Goa delegation may receive the IOA flag in the Closing Ceremony of the 36th National Games on 12th October, 2022 in Surat, Gujarat." The IOA, however, said the dates for the event will decided later.
"The date of the 37th National Gameswill be decided keeping in view of the dates of 19th Asian Games, which will be held from 23rd September to 8th October, 2022 in Hangzhou, China." Goa got the rights to host the National Games in 2008, but due to different reasons the state has failed to host them, forcing the IOA to shift the 36th edition to Gujarat, who agreed to conduct the event in a short span of time. The last National Games were held in Kerala in 2015 and Goa was to host the 36th edition in November 2016.
After two delays in 2018 and 2019 due to the coastal state's inability to create adequate infrastructure, the Games were further postponed to 2020.
But the COVID-19 pandemic then forced the postponement of the National Games again and the Goa government expressed its inability to host the event before December this year.
(With PTI input)
