IOA likely to take decision on SAF Games, 2018 National Games

A decision on the venue and date of South Asian Federation Games to be hosted by the country and a host state for the 2018 National Games could be taken in the Annual General Body Meeting of the Indian Olympic Association here tomorrow.
The IOA, which is having its first AGM after coming out of a 14-month ban imposed by International Olympic Committee in February, is also expected to take stock of the January 31-February 14 National Games to be held in Kerala.
The IOA members will also discuss the reports submitted by the Chefs-de-Mission of the Commonwealth and Asian Games held earlier this year.

The AGM will be preceded by the meeting of the Executive Council in the morning.
The IOA had in 2012 proposed to host the SAF Games here early last year, but then Sports Minister Ajay Maken had wanted to defer the regional multi-sporting event to this year, citing administrative difficulties that could have arisen due to the Delhi Assembly elections.
After the IOA was suspended by the International Olympic Committee in December 2012, the hosting of the SAF Games remained in a limbo. The last SAF Games were held in Dhaka in 2010.

Meanwhile, Uttarakhand has expressed its desire to host the 38th National Games in 2018 and the IOA has asked it to submit the approval from the Cabinet of the state government, besides furnishing a bank guarantee of Rs. 2.5 crore against cancellation of the Games.

Goa is hosting the 36th National Games in 2016, while Chhattisgarh has got the right to host the 37th edition in 2017.
Boxing India, which has got permanent affiliation from the world body AIBA, has not been invited for the AGM and the agenda of tomorrow's meeting does not also have any item regarding the application of BI to recognise it as the national federation for the sport.