The New Nation - Internet Edition

BSS, Dhaka

Bangladesh will host the 11th South Asian Games in November and December 2009.

The South Asian Olympic Council (SAOC) took the decision at its 38th Executive Committee meeting here yesterday.

It also decided to hold the regional competition's 11th version in 17 disciplines in Dhaka. Twenty-one delegates from National Olympic Associations of seven South Asian countries, including five from hosts Bangladesh, took part in the meeting. Olympic Association of Bhutan was absent.

Chief of SAOC organising committee and President of the Bangladesh Olympic Association (BOA), Chief of Army Staff General Moeen U Ahmed presided over the meeting.

The SAOC Executive Committee finalised 15 disciplines while Bangladesh, as the hosts, will choose the remaining two in three months. "We had to accommodate requests from different sides and we finalised the decision on the basis of secret ballot," acting BOA Secretary General Kutubuddin Ahmed told newsmen after the meeting at the Dhaka Sheraton Hotel.

It requires at least four votes to include a discipline in the list of the competition. The SAOC Executive Committee decided to include hockey, kabaddi and squash since these entered the Asian Games as South Asian disciplines.

However, Twenty20 cricket will be incorporated into the Games, if cricket giants of the region pledge to send their national teams, Kutubuddin added.

BOA Chief Executive and Director Col (Retd) Wali Ullah was also present at the meeting.

"The disciplines in which we have the potentials will be included as the hosts' priority," the BOA Secretary General said.

Volleyball, badminton, basketball, rowing and wrestling-the disciplines, which were performed among 20 disciplines during the previous SA Games held in Colombo-were dropped due to lack of support from the participating countries.

The already finalised 15 disciplines are: Athletics [male and female], shooting [male and female], swimming [male and female], hockey [male), squash [male], kabaddi [male and female], boxing [male], weight lifting [male], taekwondo [male and female], football [male and female], karate [male and female], ushu [male and female], handball [male], table tennis [male and female] and archery [male and female].

A flying 'doyel' [Magpie Robin] has been chosen as the 11th SA Games logo, which was designed by artist Moniruzzaman.