Haryana to host State Games after 13 years; dope testing mandatory for the first time; 25 sports to be included
After 13 years, Haryana will host the State Games, which will be organized by the Haryana Olympic Association. The games will begin in Gurugram on November 2nd and will be inaugurated by Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini.
Olympic Association President P.T. Usha will also be present on this special occasion. Sports included in the Sports Policy 2018 have been included in these games for the first time, and for the first time, athletes will be required to undergo dope testing to maintain fairness in the games.
A total of 25 sports will be included in these State Games, which include weightlifting, fencing, archery, tennis, handball, hockey, athletics, table tennis, netball, basketball, wrestling, kabaddi, judo, badminton, cycling, volleyball, triathlon, swimming, water polo, boxing, karate, football, rowing and shooting.
These games will be organised in 11 cities of the state, in which Chandigarh, Kurukshetra, Karnal, Sonipat, Jhajjar, Faridabad, Gurugram, Rohtak and Hisar will be the main centres. Karni Range of Delhi will be used for shooting as there is no suitable shooting range in Haryana.
Haryana Police, HSIDC, Haryana Power, Sports University Rai, and Shah Satnam Singh Sports Academy will also participate in team competitions.
Eight teams will be eligible for each team competition, including the host district's team. Eight top-ranked players will participate in the individual competitions, selected based on previous state-level competitions and the Khel Mahakumbh.
Winners at the State Games will receive certificates that will help them obtain grading certificates from the Sports Department. This certificate will be valid for Group D recruitment, helping athletes obtain government jobs.
Haryana Olympic Association President Captain Jaswinder Meenu Beniwal said that these games will prove to be a great platform for the state's sporting talent and will promote sports. This event will instill new enthusiasm among athletes and increase youth interest in sports.