Ranchi set to host Asian Athletics Championships

Ranchi is set to host the Asian Athletics Championships in July after the Tamil Nadu government cancelled the prestigious event, earlier scheduled to be held in Chennai, on political grounds.
Tamil Nadu Government had last month scrapped the July 3-7 Championships on the ground that it cannot host Sri Lankan athletes and since then, the Athletics Federation of India has been searching for a venue.
AFI President Adille Sumariwala told PTI that he expects the Jharkhand Government to take a decision on hosting the event tomorrow.
"I am hopeful that the Jharkhand government will give the go ahead by tomorrow or next few days. Financial part, accommodation and infrastructure -- all these aspects are falling into their places," said Sumariwala, now in Ranchi to take stock of the situation.

Jharkhand is under the President's Rule and a five-member committee, which also has a sports secretary in it, has been constituted to look into the different aspects of finding out the feasibility of hosting the championships.
"The state administrators wanted the AFI to certify whether the main stadium which had hosted the National Games in 2011 would be up to the mark to host the Asian Championships. The stadium is in great shape. I have looked into other aspects like hotel facilities also.
"There will be enough top-class facilities to accommodate the athletes and officials. I am going to submit a report tonight to the committee and will meet other government officials and security people also," he said.

"The committee is meeting tomorrow and by then we will get the go-head for the event," he added.