National Games on schedule, says top official

Thiruvananthapuram: The 35th National Games technical committee chief, K. Murugan, Friday said the event to be held in Kerala will begin as per schedule.

Media reports have criticised the Games, fearing postponement because certain venues will not be ready.

Addressing reporters here after a two-day on-the-spot inspection of all the venues, Murugan said Kerala has put up an excellent show and the event will go as per schedule.

"Given the timeframe that Kerala got to organise the event, the people here have done an excellent job and all what remains is just a touch up job. We are all happy with the way things have come up," said Murugan.

"I was a technical member in the inspection team ahead of the Chinese Olympics. When I reached the Games village there a year before the event, all what we could see was just one block. But all of us know that the event went off well. Likewise, here also things will go on very well," added Murugan.

The 35th National Games will be held at 30 venues in seven districts of the state Jan 31-Feb 14. As many as 11,000 athletes and 2,500 technical officials will take part in the sporting event.

"The brand new stadium where the opening and closing ceremonies are being held here in the state capital will be ready in a few days. Since there are no Games events scheduled there, the place where the march past will take place and the seating arrangements are all ready and that would be enough," said Murugan.

The brand new FIFA and International Cricket Council (ICC) compliant stadium where the opening and closing ceremonies will be held came up in under 18 months.

"There will be another round of inspection on 27th and the organisers are fully geared to face any eventualities, in case there is any delay in the arrival of certain sporting equipment," he said.

"The equipment that would be used for shooting is going to be the same as that which would be used in the next Olympics in Rio," said Murugan.