IOA signs MoU with Kerala Olympic Association for 2010 National Games

New Delhi, Nov.7 : The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) President Suresh Kalmadi today (November 07) signs MoU with Olympic Committee of government of Kerala for the 35th edition of the national games going to be held in the month of May in 2010.

"Today we have signed MoU with Olympic Committee, Government of Kerala for the 35th edition of the National Games, which are going to be held in May in 2010. The national games have been allotted in 2007-08-09 and we have got lot of motivation from Olympic sports. We won medals in Olympics and first unusual gold medal. We won 126 medals in Pune Youth Games also, so Olympic sport is coming alive in India so it's a good sign to feel happy for. New champions will create through national games, so the national games are being organised every year," said Suresh Kalmadi, president, IOA.

He further added that the preparations for the 2010 Commonwealth Games are progressing as per the schedule and the necessary infrastructure needed for the New Delhi Games will be ready by 2009.

"Common Junior Games held recently in Pune and have been very successful. Both the opening and closing were very good and all...countries came, so it's a very good thing. The infrastructure will get ready for commonwealth games by 2009 and no doubt that it will be the best of commonwealth games. We have conducted several meeting for security measures. The security arrangements were very good in Pune and we are hoping that it will be good in Delhi also. We have won 76 medals in common youth games, so what will happen in senior, you know well," added Suresh Kalmadi, president, IOA.

The 2010 Commonwealth Games are scheduled to be held in Delhi from October 3-14, 2010. This will be the largest multi-sport event conducted till date in Delhi and India generally, which has previously hosted the Asian Games in 1951 and 1982. The opening ceremony is scheduled to take place at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, New Delhi.

This is the first time the Commonwealth Games will be held in India, which will be the third developing country to host the event (after Jamaica in 1966 and Malaysia in 1998). This is the second time the event has been held in Asia (after 1998).

ANI