Goa Games’ shooting events to be held in Delhi or Pune?

Vinayak Padmadeo

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, May 26

The shooting competition for this year’s Goa National Games will either be held in Pune or New Delhi. The 36th National Games is scheduled from November 4 to 18. But the organisers aren’t keen on constructing a shooting range for the event. 

“We had informed the IOA about our decision to hold shooting events outside Goa,” Gurudatta Bhakta, secretary of Goa Olympic Association, told The Tribune. “We have given them three names — Delhi, Pune and Thiruvananthapuram.”

However, the choice is expected to be between New Delhi and Pune as there is no provision for shotgun shooting in Thiruvananthapuram.

A real picture will emerge next week when the National Games organisers give a detailed report of the preparedness for the Games to IOA’s executive council.

Delay?

The IOA officials are apparently worried that the Games may get postponed due to a delay in the construction of new venues and refurbishment of the older ones. Work to construct the cycle velodrome in Fatorda is yet to start. The squash facility at Chicalim and the tennis courts at Fatorda are yet to be completed. Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar’s prolonged absence from the state due to illness is another issue for the organisers.

IOA general secretary Rajeev Mehta, in a letter dated May 21, reminded the organisers of their commitment to hold the Games as per the schedule. However, Bhakta was confident that the state would be able to deliver. “Don’t worry about the velodrome. The construction work will be completed well in time. Everything is in place and we will deliver a great event,” Bhakta said.