The badminton event of the upcoming South Asian Games has been shifted to Guwahati from Shillong due to inadequate facilities at the proposed venue at the Meghalaya capital.

Shillong was to host eight disciplines, including badminton, during February 5-16, but now the city will host just seven. The organisers have decided to shift badminton, which was to be held from February 6-10 in Shillong, according to the competition schedule to Guwahati.

“The badminton event has been shifted to Guwahati due to some issues in the NEHU venue,” a member of the Organising Committee told.

The SAI Sports Centre at Shillong’s North East Hill University, which is a multipurpose indoor stadium, was reportedly found not suitable by the BAI officials owing to poor lighting and lack of wooden flooring for the warm-up courts.

Even venues in Guwahati, which will host most of the events (15 disciplines) of the games, have doubts over the feasibility of hosting hockey and shooting events due to huge sum of money to be spent for the renovation of the facilities there.

The duration of the games has also been increased by a day and now will begin from February 5 next year instead of February 6, as the organisers re-jigged the competition schedule.

Shillong will also have an opening ceremony according to the competition schedule.

 

thehindu.com

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