Staging AAG depends on security scenario

Finalising the new dates for the Afro-Asian Games, which are proposed to be held from March 24 to April 2, 2002, will depend on the security scenario in the next couple of months, Sports Minister Uma Bharti said on Saturday.

While confirming receipt of a letter from Indian Olympic Association president Suresh Kalmadi proposing the new dates for the inaugural Games, which were originally scheduled for November 3-11, Bharti told reporters in Delhi, "The government cannot declare any dates until the situation, following the terrorist attacks on the United States, is clear."

However, she made it clear that the deadline for getting the infrastructure ready remains September 30, and all other work too will go on as per the original schedule.

She reiterated that the Games have been postponed and not cancelled. "None of the committees have been disbanded," she said.

The minister said once the infrastructure is ready some "trial games" will be held at the various venues in all the eight disciplines to be staged, using all the technical back-up being acquired for the event.

The Afro-Asian Games Organising Committee's Executive Board will meet in Delhi on October 11 to work out the modalities for the "trial games", she added.

Asked if the "trial games" would inflate the already tight Games' budget, Bharti said attempts would be made to find sponsors, and made it clear that the funds meant for the Games would not be touched.

Kalmadi, who is also AAGOC working chairman, said the emphasis will now be on how to "turn this inevitable postponement into advantage".

"For the hockey competition, we can now have Pakistan and South Korea, who earlier could not participate because the dates of the Champions Trophy were clashing with the Games.

"Also, we can hope that China will send its best athletes now, because first its National Games were supposed to be held on the same dates (November 3-11)," Kalmadi said.

He said the draw for hockey, which had already been made, will be revised accordingly if the Pakistan and Korea squads make it, adding the draws for other events still stand.

Kalmadi, who wrote to the government on Friday seeking clearance for the new dates, praised IOA secretary-general Randhir Singh for working tirelessly with the Olympic Council of Asia and the Association of Natioanl Olympic Committees of Africa to make the fresh dates possible.