NOA Secretary General Abu Metha addressing press conference in Kohima on July 8. (Morung Photo)
Our Correspondent
Kohima | July 8
The Nagaland Olympic & Paralympic Games 2022 will be held from August 22 to 27.
This decision was taken at the Annual General Meeting of Nagaland Olympic Association (NOA) here today in the presence of Nagaland’s chief minister Neiphiu Rio, who is also president of NOA.
Addressing a press conference after the meeting, NOA secretary general Abu Metha said that the main host city will be Kohima. Some disciplines will be played in Dimapur while some disciplines will begin ahead of the opening day due to schedules and fixtures,
All 16 districts of Nagaland will participate in this state’s biggest ever sporting event.
The disciplines in which competitions will be held includes; Archery, Athletics, Badminton, Basketball, Boxing, Football, Taekwondo, Table Tennis, Wushu, Tennis (Dimapur) and Shooting Sports (Dimapur).
The disciplines have been chosen on the basis of the disciplines that will be held at the North East Olympics, Metha informed. Other factors that determined the selection of disciplines are infrastructure, logistics, availability of accommodation facilities and resources.
For the first time, Para Sports events will be held. The Para-Sports events will be demonstration sports and not based on inter-district competitions.
Metha informed that Nagaland will be participating in the forthcoming North East Olympic Games 2022 in Shillong, Meghalaya.
NOA institutes Athletes Commission
Metha informed that NOA has instituted the Athletes Commission, which will be chaired by Arjuna Awardee and Olympian Chekrovolü Swüro.
The website of the NOA was officially launched by Chief Minister at the meeting.
Very soon, NOA will develop its own mobile phone application, Metha said.
He also stated that other important matters that were deliberated upon were matters pertaining to Anti-doping measures, age manipulation and over-age sportspersons and training methods for athletes.
The NOA has adopted a resolution to bid for hosting of future edition of the National Games.
“This proposal will be submitted to the Government of Nagaland by the NOA in order to seek the support and mandate of the state government to successfully achieve this aspiration,” Metha added
Streamlining of sports associations
The NOA has taken several steps towards streamlining of the sports associations so that all associations will function in an efficient and professional manner ensuring best practices and maintaining minimum standards, Metha said.
Transparency in functioning, regular conduct of AGMs, adherence to the Olympic ideals and regular conduct of sports meets along with participation in regional and national meets have been made mandatory, he said.
The NOA is functioning with a full-fledged working secretariat with full time employment staff who are professionals in sports management, computer applications and accounting softwares.
Today’s AGM meeting of NOA was attended by representatives from Nagaland Archery Association, Nagaland Athletics Association, Nagaland Badminton Association, Nagaland Basketball Association, Nagaland Amateur Boxing Association, Nagaland Football Association, Nagaland Handball Association, Nagaland Kho Kho Association, Nagaland Lawn Tennis Association, Nagaland Amateur Muaythai Association, Nagaland Softball Association, Nagaland Sepaktakraw Association, Nagaland Shooting Sports Association, Nagaland Table Tennis Association, Nagaland Taekwondo Association, Nagaland Volleyball Association, Nagaland Weightlifting Association, Nagaland Wrestling Association and Wushu Association of Nagaland.
The special invitees to the meeting includes; Diethono Nakhro, State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities, Er. Lanu Toy, founding president, NOA & Dr. T. Ao State Sports Awardee, Chekrovolu Swuro, Olympian, Arjuna Awardee & Dr. T. Ao State Sports Awardee, KT Sukhalu, advisor Department of School Education, Er. Zale Neikha, advisor, Department of Youth Resources & Sports, T. John Longkumer, Director General of Police, Nagaland, Wezope Kenye, Commissioner & Secretary, Department of Youth Resources & Sports, Kevileno Angami, - Special Secretary, Department of School Education, Thavaseelan K, Principal Director, Department of School Education and Akumla Chuba , Director, Department of Youth Resources & Sports.
