National Games postponed indefinitely due to the coronavirus pandemic

The Indian Olympic Association recently asked the Goa government to host the National Games as scheduled from October 20 to November 4 this year.

However, due to rapid rise in the number of cases across the country the Games were postponed.

"The National Games organising committee has decided to postpone National Games due to COVID-19 pandemic," Goa's deputy chief minister Manohar (Babu) Ajgaonkar, who also holds the sports portfolio, was quoted as saying in a statement shared by IOA president Narinder Batra.

"... Committee to hold meeting in September end and decide on fixing dates for National Games. (Goa) Government to take advice from Union Sports Ministry, need four months advance notice to organise games," Ajgaonkar's statement added.

The previous edition of the Games was held back in 2015 in Kerala.

The upcoming Games, facing uncertainty for long, was originally scheduled for November 2018 but was postponed to April 2019. However, due to the general election, the government of Goa ordered another cancellation. Agencies

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