PANAJI
Goa's quest to host an edition of the National Games finally inched closer to fruition with the State chosen to hold the 37th edition next year.
The 36th edition is currently underway in Gujarat and the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has formally invited the Goa delegation to receive its flag at the closing ceremony in Surat on October 12.
Sports Minister Govind Gaude confirmed having received a written communique from the IOA conveying Goa's host status for the games in 2023.
“My department is ready to host the event next year,” Gaude said.
The final schedule and exact dates when the 37th edition of the Games will be held in Goa, however, have not been firmed up as yet.
The schedule will have to be drawn taking into account the Asian Games scheduled in China from September 23 to October 8 next year, IOA has communicated.
Goa, was to host the 36th edition of the National Games and had signed the host city agreement with the IOA back in 2015, the same year Kerala had hosted the last edition.
However, over the last seven years, the event was postponed multiple times largely due to Goa's failure to ready the infrastructure in time.
October 2021 was the last official schedule for the Games in Goa but then they were indefinitely postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
IOA took a lenient view owing to the pandemic but earlier in June this year, announced that it is reneging on the deal with Goa and allotting the 36th edition to Gujarat which has volunteered to be the host.
