From rxpgnews.com
New Delhi hopeful of hosting 2014 Asiad, says Kalmadi
By IANS,
Apr 11, 2007 - 10:58:13 PM
New Delhi, April 11 - After bagging the 2010 Commonwealth Games, New Delhi is confident of winning the bid to host the Asian Games in 2014, Suresh Kalmadi, president of the Indian Olympic Association -, said Wednesday.
'We will have all the expertise in place by 2010 due to the 2010 Commonwealth Games. So we are hopeful that we will be able to host the Asian Games in New Delhi after a long time,' said Kalmadi at a press conference here.
The bidding for the 2014 Asian Games will be held at the Olympic Council of Asia's - headquarter in Kuwait Tuesday and New Delhi will have some tough competition from the South Korean city of Incheon.
'Incheon will be our only competitor. But since South Korea hosted the Asian Games in 2002, chances are that New Delhi will get the opportunity to host the 2014 edition,' said the IOA president.
A top official in the IOC told IANS, on conditions of anonymity, that Dubai, Jordan and Vietnam were also in the race to host the Asian Games but backed out to favour New Delhi.
'I will give them a presentation and Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit will also give a presentation as the co-hosts, 'Kalmadi said.
The Indian contingent for the bid will also have some of the top sporting stars like Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, Leander Paes and Anju Bobby George.
Raja Randhir Singh, secretary general of the IOC, also sounded confident and said: 'We deserve to get the Games. We have a good response from other members. I think we have a good chance.'
The national capital had last hosted the Asian Games in 1982 and also hosted its first edition in 1951.
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