An African nation will host the second edition of the Afro-Asian Games in 2007, the Games Council announced in Hyderabad on Saturday.
"The Afro-Asian general Council took the decision after a meeting here today [in Hyderabad on Saturday] to give an African nation the chance to host it [the Games] four years from now," Indian Olympic Association secretary general Randhir Singh told reporters.
"Three countries have bid to host the Games but the Council wants to keep their names confidential," he said.
However, it is reliably learnt that South Africa or Nigeria will be the venue for the 2007 Games.
"Now it is up to the Olympic Council of Africa to decide whom they want to give the responsibility."
Meanwhile, India's bid to host the Commonwealth Games in 2010 received a shot in the arm when both the secretary-general and the president of the Games Federation gave the country a favourable certificate.
"We saw the youth in the opening ceremony here and the Commonwealth Games is all about youth. The preparations here has sent a strong signal that India has a better chance to host the Games," said Louise Martin, secretary-general of the CWG Federation, who was present at Saturday's meeting along with president Mike Fennel of Jamaica.
"India have the capabilities and there's no doubt about that since they have hosted the Asian Games twice already and now the Afro-Asian Games," Fennel said.
India are expected to face a tough challenge from Hamilton, Canada, in their bid to bring the Commonwealth Games to India for the first time. The host will be decided in a fortnight from now in Jamaica.
Randhir Singh said the gala opening ceremony at the GMC Balayogi stadium helped the country to draw world attention.
"In the meeting, everybody said they had never seen such an opening ceremony before. They are quite impressed with India's preparations. It conveyed the message that we have
world-class facilities and kept high standards," he said.
The Jamaica meeting will see 72 countries vote to choose either India or Cananda as hosts of the Commonwealth Games in 2010.
India are expected to draw the support from all eight members in Asia and most of the countries amongst the 18 in Africa in the CWG's bid meeting.
"We feel that the Games should not be confined only to Canada, New Zealand and England. It is high time that India, the largest Commonwealth country, should host the prestigious event," said Mohammud Latif Butt, secretary-general of the Pakistan Olympic Committee.
The Afro-Asian Games council meeting today approved the minutes of the meeting held in June 1998 at Spain. It named Sheik Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-sabah as the president of the Council.
IOA president Suresh Kalmadi was named vice-president while Randhir Singh became the secretary-general. Brig N B Singh was named director-general.
The meeting also approved a sports programme for the Afro-Asian Games in which it was made mandatory to have athletics, football and swimming in future events. The other Olympics Games disciplines, not less than in eight, should be chosen by the Council.
It also prescribed that the duration of the Games should not exceed 10 days, including the opening and closing ceremonies.
It also decided to treat the African and Asian Continental Games as qualifying events, paving the way for the top four athletes and teams in these meets to get automatic qualification for the Afro-Asian games.
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