12th South Asian Games : Meghalaya to boycott Executive Meet of SAG in Guwahati
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, January 09 2016 : The 2016 South Asian Games is still seeing itself facing challenges as Meghalaya has decided to boycott the Executive Committee Meeting days after it had threatened to pull-out as co-host of the tourney.

The SAG meeting is to be held in Guwahati on Monday.

According to reports, the state's Chief Minister Mukul Sangma, has directed the representatives to boycott the meeting on January 11.The Mukul Sangma government is miffed with the alleged move made by the Centre to shift the badminton event from their capital Shillong to Guwahati.

Until the issue is settled, Meghalaya will not be bent.

The tournament is to be held alongside neighbours Assam from February 5 to 16.A member of the Executive Committee had stated that, on the advice of Mukul Sangma, the state will not be sending its representatives to the meeting in Assam.

Further reports claim that the state government has not received any response to the protest letter regarding the proposed shifting of the badminton venue from Shiillong to Guwahati.

Earlier, the badminton event of the upcoming South Asian Games has been shifted to Guwahati from Shillong due to inadequate facilities at the proposed venue at the Meghalaya capital.

The SAI Sports Centre at Shillong's North East Hill University, which is a multipurpose indoor stadium, was reportedly found not suitable by the Badminton Association of India officials owing to poor lighting and lack of wooden flooring for the warm-up courts.

Meanwhile, there are indications that a final decision on the badminton venue is yet to be taken and it may still be held in Shillong.

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