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Our Correspondent
Kohima, Aug. 11 (EMN): Angami Sports Association (ASA) has announced that they would conduct ASA 50th anniversary sports meet in February next year in Kohima.
Briefing journalists during a press conference at Hotel Vivor on Wednesday, Lhoubeizo Kesiyie, president of ASA, informed about the upcoming event in 2022.
He said that the press meet was being called so that needful information may reach out to all the concerned as well as the players to prepare themselves physically ahead of any selection, before eventually vying in the week-long competition.
He informed that the events may take place in any week of the month, adding that they would decide and fix the dates and make an announcement before the games are conducted.
Kesiyie apprised that all popular forms of athletic events, indoor and outdoor games including traditional Naga wrestling and other indigenous games would be part and parcel of the prestigious meet.
Outdoor games comprising football for men, volleyball and sepak takraw for both men and women category, while athletics besides indoor games such as badminton and table tennis for both divisions (singles and doubles) would be included.
Meanwhile, the Naga-style wrestling will be organised for men as per the tradition, ASA informed, adding that there would be two divisions for this discipline -- junior category (below 16 years) and senior category (above 16 years).
For the first time, it was informed that the association would also be introducing indigenous games like bamboo walk and tug-of- war, while war cry will also be contested. It was also learnt that cultural song competition would also form a part of the sports meet this time.
The games and other events would be held at three venues -- Khuociezie (local ground), State Indoor Stadium and Indira Gandhi Stadium in Kohima.
It was learnt that about 400 contingents from the four affiliating units of ASA -- Northern Angami Sports Association, Southern Angami Sports Association, Western Angami Youth Organisation and Chakhroma Youth Organization -- would be taking part in the golden jubilee sports meet.
ASA general secretary, Seyielhouvi Nagi, informed that a total prize money of INR 4,63,000 has been set aside for athletics, indoor and outdoor and indigenous games.
In the traditional wrestling competitions, he informed that a total prize money of INR 7,00,000 has been earmarked for the senior category while an amount of INR 1,70,000 budgeted for the junior group.
There would be 72 wrestlers for senior category and 40 for junior category from the four Angami regions who would be vying for the respective championship titles. It was informed that two days would be allotted to manage the wrestling matches.
The entry fee would be free for all events except wrestling, it was informed.
Nagi informed that vaccination and negative Covid-19 certificates would be mandatory for all the contingents taking part in the proposed sports meet and that SOPs would be followed as per the instruction given by the government.
However, he expressed apprehension that they would be forced to call off the much anticipated sporting activities in the eventuality of any unfortunate development taking place concerned with Covid-19 issue. He added that they were also equally concerned how the public would respond with the events that they would be organising.
However, Nagi expressed optimism that the meet would be conducted "smoothly" while hoping that the state would pass off the trying phase by next year.
Citing examples of some major sports events around the world and some events in the state which were conducted successfully in the midst of the pandemic, Kesiyie, also expressed optimism that they would carry out the activities without much issue.
ASA officials apprised that they would also be inviting guests from other tribes to be part of the golden jubilee sports meet.
It may be mentioned that the 49th ASA meet was organised with only two disciplines last year -- football for men and volleyball for women owing to the Covid-19 pandemic at Indira Gandhi Stadium on March 18.