SAG to be held in August

June 4, 2006
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The Asian Olympic Council (AOC) meeting held in Male, Maldives declared that the South Asian Games (SAG), the biennial sporting event, will be held at the scheduled date in Colombo, Sri Lanka from August 18-28 2006.

The Olympic Committee members from the participating clubs under the supervision of AOC held the meeting and declared to host the tournament as per the scheduled dates. The President of Nepal Olympic Committee Rukma Shamser Rana, who took part in that meeting, also confirmed the decision.

Sri Lankan rebels LTTE to put down Arms for SAG

Will Sri Lanka be able to stage the 10th South Asian Games (SAG) in Colombo in August was the question many raised following the recent hostilities between government troops and LTTE cadres.

Although the organisers were optimistic that the country will stage the region’s biennial sporting event successfully, the question whether the LTTE will allow had always been there. Answering that important question, an LTTE spokesman said that his organisation will not disrupt the SAG.

K. Papa, the director of sports of LTTE, said that no sports event, national or international will be disrupted by his organisation. The LTTE sports chief assured that they will not indulge in any activity that would disturb the peaceful holding of the event. When asked whether they will change their position if the country is to resume war towards August, Papa said, “The rumour that the LTTE is going to sabotage the SAG is totally wrong. There is no need to be worried about it.”

Former Asian Games gold medal winning high jumper Nagalingam Ethirweerasingham, who has been using sports as a means to build a bridge between North and East and South, also assured of the same.

The eight countries include Nepal, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Bhutan and newly joined Afghanistan.