PM assures strong support for 2014 Asiad bid

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today assured a strong government support to New Delhi's bid for hosting the 17th Asian Games in 2014 during his meeting with the Olympic Council of Asia's Bid Evaluation Committee.

"The Prime Minister gave full assurances about his government's support to the bid and hoped India gets it," Indian Olympic Association President Suresh Kalmadi told PTI.

"The Prime Minister said India's sports culture was growing and the country would also get the benefit of hosting the Commonwealth Games in 2010," Kalmadi said.

The meeting, also attended by Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, Sports Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar and Prithvi Raj Chauhan, lasted almost half an hour.

The five-member OCA delegation, led by chairman Celso Dayrit, comprised Ms Natalya Sipovich, Abdul Ghani Tabhalat, Haider Ferman and Vinod Kumar Tiwari, who is the co-ordinator.

They assessed the facilities at all the major stadia of the city including R K Khanna Stadium, National Stadium, JN Stadium and IGI stadium and the proposed games village site here before meeting the PM.

"Dayrit was more than satisfied about the infrastructure and arrangements. They were also impressed by the reception given to them," Kalmadi said.

The Committee will begin its tour of Incheon, Korea, India's only competitor in the bid, from Sunday.