Shillong, May 3: Meghalaya Chief Minister, Conrad K. Sangma on Tuesday officially opened the fourth edition of the Meghalaya Games-2022 during the opening ceremony which was held at Shillong Sports Association (SSA) First Division Ground at Polo.
A total number of 2600 athletes are competing in the 19 disciplines of this mega sports event to be held as part of the 50th Statehood Day Celebrations.
The games will conclude on the 7th of this month at the SAI Centre in NEHU.
The SAI Centre at NEHU will host seven disciplines – archery, athletics, men’s football, gymnastics, weightlifting, karate, and table tennis.
NEIGRIHMS will be the host to the basketball events, the Mawlai Mawroh Indoor Hall will feature boxing while Mawlai Madan Heh will be the site for women’s football up to the semifinals and the title match to be held at the SAI facility.
The golf event will be held at the iconic Shillong Golf Course. Golf is one of five disciplines that have been added to this edition of the Games, the others being football, gymnastics, weightlifting and cycling.
Cycling – both cross country and downhill races – will take place at Malki, while Shillong Club will host tennis as well as billiards and snooker. The Laban SC Indoor Stadium will feature two martial art forms judo and taekwondo, while wushu will be held at the Madanrting Indoor Hall. Shooting will be held at the Assam Regimental Centre and swimming will go on at Crinoline Swimming Pool.
Addressing the athletes during the opening ceremony, Meghalaya Chief Minister said that he was happy to see that despite the pandemic the Meghalaya Games could be held.
He said that this clearly showed the intention of this government to give top priority to the development of sports and more importantly to the youth our state.
Sangma urged the members of the Meghalaya State Olympic Association (MSOA) to learn from the set-back by ensuring that similar discrepancies are not repeated in the future events.
“Everything cannot be perfect and failure is part of life,” Chief Minister said while referring to the controversy over the unhygienic conditions of the accommodation facilities for the participants of this mega event.
Taking strong cognizance over this controversy, Sports Minister, Banteidor Lyngdoh said that this kind of lapses would not be tolerated at all and urged the MSOS to make efforts to rectify whatever lapses are there.
“We need to make sure that this does not happen in the future,” Lyngdoh added.
