SAF Games to start on February 6: Gogoi

Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Sunday announced that the South Asian Federation (SAF) Games will be held in Guwahati and Shillong from February 6 to 16 next year.

Addressing a joint press here with Indian Olympic Association (IOA) secretary general Rajiv Mehta, Gogoi said that while the central government will shoulder the major responsibility of organising the SAF Games, the Assam government will only act as a facilitator.

He said that around 4,000 athletes will participate in the 23 events of the Games, most of which will be held in Guwahati.

"Assam had successfully organized the National Games in the past and it is an honour for the IOA to organize the SAF Games in association with the Assam Olympic Association (AOA) in Assam. We are going to take up the issue of security related issues with Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Prime Minister Narendra Modi soon," Mehta said.

"The IOA has received the green signal from the central government to organize the Games here," he added.

Mehta said that 17 events will be held in Guwahati while the Meghalaya capital of Shillong will host six events.

Eight countries including Bangladesh, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, India, Pakistan, Maldives and Afghanistan will participate in the SAF Games.