KATHMANDU: The 12th edition of the South Asian Games (SAG) is in limbo due to the prevailing uncertainty over its date and venue, leaving the sports fraternity in a state of dejection.The sub-continent level sports meet takes place every two years and it is three years since the 11th edition of the games was held in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Apsara Karki, a Taek-won-do player who glazed her sports career from the SAG itself expressed her sadness over the uncertainty of the 12th SAG said, “I am confident of bagging the title but I just don’t feel like taking part in the heats these days due to the uncertainty of the event.”
Although the National Sports Council (NSC) has been running the ‘mission SAG’ programme for players, I do not believe that the event would take place this year, said Laxman Shrestha, the President of Nepal Archery Association.
“There is a history of the SAG being deferred since the past due to the ‘politics in sports’. The sports meet has also not been held also because the member states of SAG have not shown any interest in organising this regional sports meet,” he added.
However, Vice President of the National Sports Council, Pitambar Timilsina, says that the main reason why the SAG has been deferred is the dispute over the National Olympics Committees of the member countries of the SAG.
According to him, the date for the 12th SAG was fixed for October of last year in New Delhi. But the games were postponed after the International Olympic Committee suspended the Indian Olympic Committee citing government intervention in the IOC election.
Although the South Asian Olympic Committee had proposed to organise the 12th SAG in Nepal after considering that there were no signs of the Indian sports politics coming to an end anytime soon, the intense dispute between Nepal Olympic Committee and the National Sports Council again prevented the organization of SAG, said Secretary of Nepal Chess Association, Herakaji Maharjan.
In Nepal, there is a long turf war going on between Rukma Shumsher Rana, President of the National Olympics Committee recognised by the Supreme Court and Dhruba Bahadur Pradhan, the President of the same committee who has been recognised by the IOC.
Although the Supreme Court has recognized the National Olympic Committee led by Rana as the official one, the dispute over which of the two national Olympics committees is official continues due to the non-implementation of the apex court’s decision.
Nepali players can participate in the international competitions only on the recommendation of the Nepal Olympic Committee.
“I want to participate in the marathon and win gold for the country in the 12th SAG. Let’s see whether I am lucky,” said Kanchhi Maya Koju who bagged a silver medal in the 10th SAG held in Colombo, Sri Lanka, in 2006.
Taek-won-do player Deepak Bista, who won gold medals in a row in the last four SAG editions, stresses that the rights of the players to play and participate in competitions without hindrance should not be hijacked under any pretext. He called on the bodies concerned to organise any of the national and international sports competitions in time.
Pradhan, the President of the Nepal Olympic Committee recognized by the IOC, said the 12th SAG could be organised in time if the government wanted to. He further said that the dispute related to the authenticity of the National Olympic Committee could also be resolved provided the government showed the will power.
The first edition of SAG was held in Nepal in 1984 and the second edition in Bangladesh in 1985. The third SAG was held in India in 1987 and the fourth in Pakistan in 1989.
The fifth edition of SAG was held in 1991 in Sri Lanka and the sixth in Bangladesh in 1993. India hosted the seventh edition of the games in 1995 while Nepal organised the eighth SAG in 1999.
The 9th SAG was held in Pakistan in 2004, the 10th in Sri Lanka in 2006 and the 11th in Bangladesh in 2011.
Sports officials estimate that the 12th SAG could be deferred until 2015 if it is not held this year as the Asian Games is taking place in 2014.
(Source: The Himalayan)
