2022 National Games will be postponed, says Meghalaya CM

SHILLONG

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma, on Tuesday, said that they would not be able to host the 39th National Games in 2022.

During a meeting with the All Jaiñtia Sports and Games Forum (AJS&GF) and Jaiñtia Student’s Union (JSU), Sangma revealed that Meghalaya would host the National Games only after Goa and Uttarakhand.

“Yes, he (Conrad) had told us that Meghalaya’s turn to host the mega sports would only happen after Goa and Uttarakhand have hosted the National Games,” AJS&GF chairman Eddie Murphy Passah told reporters.

Passah said that the Chief Minister told the delegation that Meghalaya would host the national games only after five to six years.

Meghalaya had planned to host the 39th National Games, 2022- the same year it celebrates its golden jubilee of statehood.

However, there were doubts if Meghalaya could host the games because of the slow progress concerning the setting up of new sports infrastructure for hosting the games in the next two years.

Meanwhile, Passah said that they met the Chief Minister to urge him to include Jaiñtia Hills as a venue to host the games.

“The athletes from Jaiñtia Hills have brought laurel to the State in various disciplines. We feel that Jaiñtia Hills deserve to be included as one region in the State to host the sports event,” Passah said.

“It is really unfortunate that none of the legislators from the region have demanded from the state government to allow Jaiñtia Hills to host some disciplines of the mega sports event,” he added.

(Edited by Christopher Gatphoh & Andre Kongri)