A delegation from the Goa Olympic Association (GOA) led by Gurudatta Bhakta, the Secretary-General, was invited by the Sports Minister Govind Gaude at the Secretariat at Porvorim on Wednesday to discuss the forthcoming 37th National Games in Goa.
During the meeting, Gaude assured the delegation that the Goa Government is committed to providing all necessary support to the athletes to ensure their success at the National Games. He emphasised the importance of infrastructure development and maintenance for the games, stating that the state government will ensure that all necessary infrastructure is in place well before the Games.
Gaude briefed the delegation about the National Games schedules, which he said are likely to be held in Goa in October or November 2023 and plans are to conclude the games before the Diwali festival. The exact dates will be announced in consultation with the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and the Central Government, he added. Additionally, Gaude informed that a delegation from the IOA has been invited to visit Goa from March 6 to 11.
With 37 sports disciplines being a part of the 37th National Games, the minister was optimistic that Goa should participate in all of the sports disciplines. He emphasised the importance of the National Games for the state of Goa and the need for the state to allocate funds to prepare Goan athletes to win medals and bring laurels to the state. As a buildup to the Games, Gaude expressed his desire to involve not only State Sports Associations but Taluka and Village-level clubs as well, where sports disciplines that are part of the Games could be promoted in every nook and corner and an environment created where sports become an integral part of the lives of people in Goa.
Bhakta conveyed his gratitude to the Sports Minister whose unwavering commitment will ensure that the National Games takes place in Goa, after a lengthy wait. Additionally, he assured the minister that the GOA team will collaborate closely with the Goa Government to ensure the success of the Games.
The meeting was attended by officials from the Sports Authority of Goa and the GOA. Dr Geeta Nagvenkar, Executive Director of the Sports Authority of Goa (SAG), and Navin Acharya, Assistant Director, SAG; Irvin Soares, Raju Mangeshkar, Jayesh Naik, Siddharth Satardekar, Nisha Madgaokar, and Sandeep Heble were the other members of the GOA delegation.
