IOA seeks clarifications from OCA on Asiad bid

Expressing confidence that the July 1 deadline for submitting bids for the 2019 Asian Games will be met, Indian Olympic Association today sought clarifications from its parent Asian body on various issues, including crucial financial aspects of the multi-sporting event.
In a letter to the Olympic Council of Asia, IOA Secretary General Rajeev Mehta also requested the OCA to send a senior official to help expedite the final bid submission process.
"We have sought clarifications from OCA on the request of the sports ministry. We are hoping to get a prompt reply from OCA," Mehta told PTI.
"We are also ready to make a detailed presentation to the government regarding the final bid and we will submit it tomorrow to the ministry. We are hoping that we can beat the July 1 final bid submission deadline," he said.

"I also requested if a senior official from OCA can be sent to Delhi to guide us so that the entire process can be expedited and bid may be submitted on time," he added.
The letter addressed to OCA Director General Hussain Al Musallam requested for the draft format of guarantees on tax exemptions, custom duties and PR campaign for USD 15 million.

Regarding the distribution of marketing revenues, the IOA asked the OCA to provide the revenue estimates under the marketing programme of the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games, besides the full marketing guidelines, including broadcasting and ticketing.
Mehta also wanted to know from the OCA whether there were draft formats for letters of support from Delhi government, sports ministry and leader of opposition and requested the Asian body to send them if there were any.

He also sought clarification on the allocation of USD 30 million to OCA broadcast services for host broadcast of the Games. The IOA wanted to know whether the entire broadcast production and International Broadcast Centre will be taken care of by the OCA broadcast services within this expenditure.
"Is this the final expenditure or is it a budget estimate? Whether this payment will be made to OCA or to third party," the IOA wrote to OCA, according to Mehta.