INDIA REPORTEDLY KEEN TO BID FOR 2019 ASIAD

KUALA LUMPUR, June 25 (Bernama) -- India, which will be hosting the 19th
Commonwealth Games in October, is reportedly keen to host the 2019 Asian Games,
making it the latest candidate after Hong Kong, United Arab Emirates (UAE),
Vietnam and Malaysia to bid for the event also known as Asiad.

According to an article posted on the 16th Asian Games website, it was
reported that the Indian Olympic Association had written to their Sports
Ministry, seeking permission to bid for the 2019 Games.

Commenting on the bidders list for the Asiad, Olympic Council of Malaysia
(OCM) honorary secretary Sieh Kok Chi said the Olympic Council of Asia
(OCA) had its own mechanism to choose the host.

"From what I heard, only Malaysia and UAE are keen enough to host the Asiad
and had submitted their letters of intention to the OCA.

"My friends from Vietnam said they were willing to withdraw if Malaysia is
really keen to host the biggest games in Asia," he told Bernama.

Sieh said the result of the 2019 Asian Games host job would only be known in
2012.

Malaysia came close to hosting the Asian Games on two occasions.

It lost out to Qatar for the 2006 Games and turned down the prospect of
hosting this year's games due to the huge cost involved.

China is the host for this year's games while South Korea will host the 2014
Games in Incheon.
-- BERNAMA


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