Kerala proposes dates for 35th National Games

Kerala on Friday proposed December 12, 2012 as the date for starting the next edition of the National Games.

"We have proposed the auspicious date of 12-12-12 for the 35th National Games. But it depends on the overall construction work going around in stadium and velodrome,"

Kerala Olympic Association president M M Abdul Rahiman told reporters on Friday.

Giving details about the next Games, he said, "We will conduct the meet in 34 disciplines and on an average we expect 12-15 competitors in every event. In major disciplines like aquatics and athletics there will be more than 30 contestants," he said.

"Overall, we expect more than 10,000 athletes and 4,000 officials for the Games. We are going on the right track for the Games. Kerala is the only state in India to have its own sports act that was enacted in 2000. We hope to conduct the Games in a very smooth manner," he said.

The city of Thiruvanathapuram will be the main but competitions will also be held in Kollam, Alappuzha, Kochi, Thrissur, Kozhikode and Kannur.

This is the second time Kerala will be hosting the event, after it organised the Games way back in 1987.