UP to hold 2015 National Games

Lucknow, Apr 14: The Indian Olympic Association has agreed in principal to allocate the hosting rights of the 2015 National Games to Uttar Pradesh as it has asked the Uttar Pradesh Olympic Association(UPOA) to submit the National Games bid application along with Rs 50 lakh to IOA as soon as possible.     UPOA secretary-general Anandeshwar Pandey, who pulled his weight behind to get the hosting rights, informed here today that IOA’s newly elected secretary general Rajeev Mehta on Friday last has sent him the letter regarding this.    The letter also states that in the event of cancelling the allotment and not holding the Games on the scheduled year of 38th National Games 2015 to Uttar Pradesh, the same would be considered for allotment to next willing host state, the letter states.
On April 2 last, Pandey had requested the IOA to allot the Games hosting rights to UP and within a week time, the IOA agreed for this. Two days before the IOA’s letter the state government too had asked about the process of bidding etc.    “UPOA has done its job to convince IOA to allocate the hosting rights of the 20015-16 Games to UP, and now it’s the turn of the state government to act quickly on the issue,” said Pandey.    “Hopefully after the general election, process will start for this on the government level too,’ Pandey added.    In 2005, Pandey had bagged the hosting rights of the 2009 National Games in the state, but due to the then controversial Sports Act, UP was denied the rights and the Games were allocated to Kerala. (UNI)

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