Goa to host 37th National Games in October 2023: IOA
New Delhi (PTI): Goa will host the 37th edition of the National Games in October next year, the Indian Olympic Association confirmed on Saturday.
The Goa state government has conveyed to the IOA its in-principle approval to host the next edition of the National Games.
In a letter to Ajit Roy, Secretary, Sports and Youth Affairs, Goa, IOA Secretary General Rajeev Mehta wrote: "IOA is pleased to note the wholehearted support of the Government of Goa to host the 37th National Games in Goa in 2023, hence conveying IOA's approval to organise the 37th National Games in Goa.
"The Goa delegation may receive the IOA flag in the Closing Ceremony of the 36th National Games on 12th October 2022 in Surat, Gujarat."
The IOA, however, said the dates for the event will be decided later.
"The date of the 37th National Games will be decided to keep in view of the dates of the 19th Asian Games, which will be held from 23rd September to 8th October 2022 in Hangzhou, China."
Goa got the rights to host the National Games in 2008, but due to different reasons, the state has failed to host them, forcing the IOA to shift the 36th edition to Gujarat, which agreed to conduct the event in a short span of time.
The last National Games were held in Kerala in 2015 and Goa was to host the 36th edition in November 2016.
After two delays in 2018 and 2019 due to the coastal state's inability to create adequate infrastructure, the Games were further postponed to 2020.
But the COVID-19 pandemic then forced the postponement of the National Games again and the Goa government expressed its inability to host the event before December this year.
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Seven arrested in Manipal for ganja, LSD peddling, consumption
Udupi (Karnataka), Aug 18 (PTI): Seven individuals were arrested in Manipal on charges of peddling and consuming narcotics, including ganja and LSD, police said here on Monday.
Four of the accused—Ajish (28), Vipin (32), Bipin (24), and Akhil (26), all from Kerala—were first apprehended after their samples tested positive for ganja consumption. Interrogation revealed that they were being supplied by Manish (34) of Kasaragod.
A raid at Manish’s flat in Vidyaratna Nagar on August 17 recovered 653 grams of ganja, digital scales, a crusher, cash, and a mobile phone. He has been remanded to judicial custody and is counted among the seven arrested.
Separately, a raid on August 16 at a rented room in Ishwara Nagara led to the arrest of Afshin (26) from Kerala and Shivanidhi Acharya (20) of Udupi. Police recovered 1.237 kg of ganja, 0.038 grams of LSD strips, and related paraphernalia.
Investigations indicated that the accused had been targeting both students and migrant workers in Manipal and Mangaluru. The operation was coordinated under the guidance of Udupi Superintendent of Police Hariram Shankar.
