BOA promises a good show
The Bangladesh Olympic Association (BOA) yesterday promised to present a good Bangladesh Games after unveiling the logo of the ninth edition, which has been named after Bangabandhu to mark his 100th birth anniversary.
The Bangabandhu Bangladesh Games are scheduled to take place from April 1, featuring 10,600 athletes vying for 396 gold medals across 31 disciplines in the 10-day multi-sports carnival which is being held seven years after the completion of the eighth edition in 2013. The Games' mascot, a pigeon holding a torch, was also revealed.
"With initiatives from the BOA and the help of national sports federations, hosting the Bangladesh Games, which has been named after Bangabandhu, is very important for us on the 100th birth year of the Father of the Nation. Through the biggest sports carnival, the overall scenario of the country's sport will be exposed and we can learn the overall state of the country's sports," said BOA secretary general Syed Shahed Reza at the press conference at Kurmitola Golf Club in Cantonment yesterday.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is expected to open the Games on April 1 at the Bangabandhu National Stadium after a colourful opening ceremony while the torch of the Games will come to Dhaka from Gopalganj on March 31.
Although the BOA promised to a good showing from athletes, there are doubts over the athletes' performances as they hardly have any opportunity to train before the Games.
"After the completion of the South Asian Games, we sat with all the federations and associations and fixed the date after getting their consent. So far, we know the federations are taking preparation from mid- February and they will get the full month of March to prepare," Games steering committee chairman Sheikh Bashir Ahmed told the reporters.
The outbreak of coronavirus was also discussed in the press conference and Ahmed said that they would discuss with it with their medical committee if any emergency emerges during the Games.
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