IOA sets up 2-member committee for smooth conduct of QBR

New Delhi: Indian Olympic Association today set up a two-member committee of senior officials for the smooth conduct of 2014 Commonwealth Games Queen`s Baton Relay in Agra and here even as it decided to invite mostly Delhi-based 2010 CWG medal winners for the programmes on October 12 and 13.

IOA Acting President V K Malhotra said arrangements have been made to accord a warm welcome to the Baton and senior officials G S Mander and S Raghunathan have been entrusted the responsibility for the smooth reception of the Baton. "The Queen`s Baton will arrive on October 11 at 2020 hrs IST at the IGI Airport and will be received by the Olympians and the officials of the IOA," Malhotra said in a statement. Being the host of previous edition of CWG in 2010, New Delhi will be the first city to receive the Baton. Malhotra said because of the security reasons and Dussehra festival, some of the programmes relating to the relay have been curtailed and this has been agreed upon by the Commonwealth Games Federation and also by the organizers of the 2014 Glasgow Games. "The Baton will leave for Agra on the morning of October 12 to be taken to Taj Mahal and will return to the Capital in the afternoon. The British High Commissioner will host a reception for the Baton in the evening," he said. On October 13, UNICEF will hold a programme in the morning and after that, the Baton will be taken to Qutub Minar by the athletes and IOA officials in the afternoon. The Baton will leave Delhi for Dhaka on the morning of October 14. Meanwhile, the IOA has decided to invite mostly sportspersons based in Delhi or nearby, who have won medals in 2010 CWG, for QBR programmes here. Mander told PTI that the names of five wrestlers have been finalised while the boxers and shooters may not be available as most of them are outside the country. "Yogeshwar Dutt, Ravinder Singh, Anil Kumar, Geeta Phogat and Anita Tomar have been finalised. We are yet to finalise sportspersons from other disciplines like athletics, hockey etc. Medal winner shooters and boxers will not be available. Sushil Kumar will also not be availbale," he said. PTI