Indian Olympic Association has offered Haryana to host the next National Games in the State, said Sports Minister Anil Vij on Tuesday.
While giving reply to a question during the ongoing budget session, Vij said that the department is prepared to host the forthcoming Games. Originally scheduled to be held in Goa, Vij said the IOA offered it to Haryana as "the hosting of these Games in Goa became doubtful due to some reasons".
Vij also appealed to factions of Olympic Association of Haryana to do away with their groupism and get their elections conducted as per the rules of IOA.
He said that senior officers of the State Government discussed in detail the issue of National Games with the officers of Sports Department of Government of India and those of Indian Olympic Association, and a final decision in this regard would be taken soon.
The Sports Minister also appealed to INlD’s Abhay Chautala and members of the Congress to resign from their respective posts in Haryana Olympic Association in the interest of the state and called for fresh elections under the supervision of IOA, court or any independent agency.
"Those who would be elected in these elections would be acceptable to all. In case, the State Government had to constitute an adhoc committee to host National Games, it will be done because the tender is signed by the State Government and the President of Olympic Association," he said.
Vij added that the biggest hurdle in hosting the Games could be the "functioning of the so called two-three Olympic Associations in Haryana who had been believing themselves as right and others as wrong. It is because of them that the players are confused, he said.
Earlier, Vij informed the House that Rashtriya Kabaddi Pratiyogita would be organised on the Birth Anniversary of Pt. Deendayal Upadhyay on September 25. It would be held on the pattern of Bharat Kesari Dangal, freestyle wrestling competition, which was organised on the martyrdom day of Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev at Gurgaon, said he.
The Minister said that the State Government would adopt private sports nurseries so as to provide them with more facilities to groom outstanding players.
The State Government would also bring in Sports Council Act, he said. In order to encourage sports like Kho-kho and wrestling, adequate facilities would be provided and Akharas which were closed for past many years would be re-opened. For this, 100 Akharas would be selected during the next one year, said the Minister.