There are two
aspects to sports - watching them and playing
them. Whichever you prefer, here is the best of
Delhi.
Amongst the sports that inspire
spectators in hordes - cricket must top the list,
as it does everywhere in the country. Other
spectator sports with a reasonable following
include tennis and polo. Hi-brow tournaments of
golf, polo, races as well as car rallies with
corporate sponsorships are events marked by
celebrity presence when the winter sets in. Then
there are other regular tournaments of badminton,
hockey, football, snooker and so on. What must be
mentioned is that Delhi has one of the finest
sporting infrastructures in the country. The Asiad Games held in 1982 necessitated the
creation of several swanky stadia that continue to
host prestigious sporting events. On any given
day, the local newspaper will list a number of
events taking place across the city.
If
doing it yourself is what you are looking for, the
options are plenty - from golf, rock climbing,
hang-gliding, canoeing, riding, bowling,
ballooning - or simply working at any of the
swanky gyms that are scattered across the
city.
Considering India"s vast experience
in hosting international competitions successfully
and the initiative taken for mooting the proposal
to organise the Afro-Asian Games, the Olympic
Council of Asia has bestowed New Delhi upon the
honour of staging the 1st Afro-Asian Games from
November 03 to 11, 2001.
The inaugural
Afro-Asian Games in the India's capital will be
one of the major attractions in the beginning of
this new millennium. Some of the new Olympic
heroes from the Asian and African continents would
be seen in action.
The host city, New
Delhi is the sports capital of India. In the
recent past, India has been the venue for several
sports events. Delhi has unparalleled expertise
and unmatched experience in hosting sporting
events. The movement for the Asian spirit got its
forum in the historic city of Delhi when the first
Asian Games were held here in the year 1951. In
the year 1982, Asian nations converged once again
in the modern city of New Delhi. In the year 1989
the Asian track and field Championships were held.
The Asian Junior Track and Field Championship in
November 1992 and October 1996 were also very
successful. The IAAF International Athletics Meet
with participation by the world's top athletes was
also a major event. It also hosted the ATP event
in the year 1997 and the Thomas and Uber Cup in
February, 2000. India mostly hosts the Davis Cup
ties in the sub-continent. Apart from this,
international competitions in other disciplines
keep on happening in India regularly.
India has been an active participant in
all the sport events in Asia and Europe. It has
participated in all 13 Asian Games held so far.
From the Year 1984 to 1999, India has participated
in all Winter Games, be it Olympic Winter Games
held at Sarajevo and Alpentville in 1984, 1992 and
1998 or the Asian Winter Games held at Canada in
1988, Japan in 1990 and Korea in 1999. New Delhi
has also served as a host to many national and
international sporting events such as
theCommonwealth and Asian Archery Championships, World Cup Badminton, Asian Cycling Championship, World Billiards and Snooker
Championships, Asia Cup Hockey Championships, SAARC Badminton and Gymnastics
Championships, SAF Games and the International Volleyball Tournaments, to name a few.
The dates for
2010 Commonwealth Games 2010 have been
decided. The biggest International event in the
history of the city shall be held between Oct 3 to
Oct 14 2010.
According to the communique of
the Organising Committee of the Commonwealth Games
71 countries would be participating in the event
with around 8000 participants- athletes and
officials.
The Opening & Closing Ceremonies will be
held in Jawahar Lal Nehru Stadium on Oct 3 &
14 respectively. The JLN stadium shall, like Asiad
1982, be the venue of track & field events.
The other venues are yet to be decided.
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