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20 yrs...and the wait for State Games continues

National Games to begin on Jan 28 | Local assn fails to hold state events
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The then UT Administrator, General Sunith Francis Rodrigues (2nd from left on dais), along with Rana Gurmit Singh Sodhi, former president, COA, during the inauguration of the 2005 Chandigarh State Games at the Sector 17 Football Stadium.
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Despite the National Games knocking the doors, the Chandigarh Olympic Association (COA) — which usually remains active on the political front — once again failed to host the Chandigarh State Games. In September 2023, the COA witnessed a shift in power (midterm) with new faces joining the house outlasting the previous ones by levelling various allegations including non-promotions of games.

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However, despite being in power for over a year, the COA would again send teams for the National Games of India without conducting the State Games.

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The 2025 National Games of India are scheduled to be held from January 28 in Uttarakhand, as announced by the Indian Olympic Association (IOA). And, the local associations have already started selecting teams by organising trials. In the past, officials of the COA had confirmed that the State Games would be a priority, if National Games were held. However, whenever National Games were held after 2005, the COA failed to hold local games.

“We will surely organise the State Games. If National Games are postponed, we will organise games before rescheduling of the main event. However, if the National Games begin as per schedule, no time will be left for organising the State Games,” said Rajiv Sharma, senior vice president, COA. However, this is not for the first time any COA official gave assurance of conducting the State Games. It’s now almost 20 years that the local sports fraternity is waiting for the COA to fulfil its promises.

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Last State Games

held in 2005

In October 2005, the COA hosted the 1st Chandigarh State Games under the theme “Citius, Altius and Fortius”. More than 3,000 sportspersons assembled at the old Sector 17 football ground to take part in the “spectacular” show that lasted for over two hours. The then Punjab Governor and UT Administrator, General SF Rodrigues (retd), along with Flying Sikh Milkha Singh lit the torch. Among other highlights of the function was the march past by “Veeru”, the mascot of the State Games. Asian rowing bronze medallist Saroj and hockey Olympian Surhbir Singh Gill ran with the torch before handing it over to Milkha Singh.

Since then, local sportspersons are waiting for the same event, but they end up watching the political “sluggishness” of the association and its office-bearers. While the last State Games were held in October 2005, a sponsored event called “Mini Olympics” was organised by the COA in 2012.

In 2011, a new COA house was elected for a four-year term. However, differences emerged between office-bearers in the midterm, and a fresh house was formed in 2023. Last year, the newly elected group indulged in infighting and the COA turned into another pit stop for the politics.

The IOA conducted National Games of India in Guwahati (2007), Jharkhand (2011), Kerala (2015), Gujarat (2022) and Goa (2023). And in all these years, the COA didn’t conduct any games on its behalf.

Who will bear

teams’ expenses?

During the Goa National Games, local teams were asked to make financial arrangements on their own on the promise of reimbursement. It will be interesting to see, if the same has been asked this time for the Uttarakhand National Games by the COA or not. The UT Sports Department has already told the COA to submit utilization certificates (UCs) of the previously claimed grants to get any further financial assistance.

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