IOA asks Goa to pay Rs 10 crore penalty for repeatedly postponing National Games

The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has asked Goa to pay a penalty of Rs 10 crore for repeatedly missing the deadline for hosting the 36th National Games.

"Very soon the IOA delegation is going to Goa to finalise the dates. But sure Goa has to give a panelty of Rs. 10 crore for delaying the Games three times. If Goa does not pay the penalty amount and organise the Games in 2019, then IOA may cancel it," Mukesh Kumar, IOA-appointed Chairman of Games Technical Conduct Committee, said.

Goa had expressed its inability to host the event in March-April this year owing to the general elections.

The Goa government had cited security and volunteer related issues during the elections as reasons for postponing the much-delayed National Games, which were originally planned for 2016 but were rescheduled several times.

The latest dates set aside for it were from March 30 to April 14.

IOA Secretary General Rajeev Mehta had earlier said that it would consider shifting the Games out of the coastal state if it did not show commitment to host them.

The Goa government has proposed a new window of October-November but Mehta had said the state will have to show commitment to host the Games.

After Goa hosts the 36th edition, which was earlier to be held in November last year, the IOA has already decided to allot the next editions to Chhattisgarh (2019), Uttarakhand (2020) and Meghalaya (2022).