By IANS
New Delhi : Eighty-nine countries have so far confirmed their participation in the fourth Military World Games (MWG) to be held in Hyderabad and Mumbai in October, but neighbours Pakistan are still silent as the Aug 15 deadline for entries gets close.
“We have received entries from 89 countries out of 127 member countries. And we are hopeful that the figure will cross 100,” said D.G. Narain, vice-chairman of the media and publicity wing of the MWG organising committee.
“We have received entries from China but Pakistan are yet to respond. Reports in the media that we haven’t invited Pakistan are false. We have invited them and hopefully they will send their entry before the last date,” he added.
Narain was speaking on the sidelines of the flagging-in ceremony of a cycling expedition here Monday that is carrying the MWG flame that was lit in Ladakh on July 30.
The 15-member expedition of the Indian Army’s Corps of Electronics and Mechanical Engineers (EME) reached the capital Monday morning after covering a distance of nearly 1,025 km from Leh.
Lt. Gen. Arvind Mahajan, the EME director general, flagged in the expedition at the India Gate. He also paid homage, along with the 15 cyclists, at Amar Jawan Jyoti memorial to Indian Army soldiers who have laid down their lives since World War I.
The MWG mascot Bravo, a dancing bison, was also present at the ceremony and took turns to carry the flame.
The cyclists will now pass through Agra, Jhansi, Sagar, Hyderabad, Salem and Madurai before reaching Kanyakumari Aug 18.
“I am proud of my boys. They have done a wonderful job so far. They are eight hours ahead of their scheduled arrival and I think they will better the existing record of 20 days (in the Limca Book of Records),” Mahajan said.
The expedition is being led by Maj. Vishal Ahlawat and was flagged off from Leh by Minister of State For Defence M.M. Pallam Raju for the 4,249 km journey to Kanyakumari, where the flame will be handed back to the minister.
“It has been a great expedition so far. We want to give our best to promote this event, which India (also Asia) is hosting for the first time. Through our endeavour we also want to encourage the youth to join the army,” said Ahlawat, who is also an adventure sports enthusiast.
Recounting some of the interesting events on the journey so far, Ahlawat said: “The most interesting incident was at the Rohtang pass. When we reached the pass it was afternoon and it had starting raining and snowing, which delayed our return by an hour.
“While returning, it was quite dark and the road had become slippery. Our brakes were also not working, because our cycles were not adapted for mountains, and we had to use our feet as brakes,” he added.
The fourth edition of the Games, scheduled to be held from Oct 14-21. The games are going outside Europe for the first time. Around 4,500 sportspersons and 1,500 officials are expected.
Fifteen disciplines will feature at the MWG, being held under the banner of ‘Friendship Through Sports’. These include traditional Olympic events like athletics, boxing, swimming and sailing, plus military specific events such as military pentathlon and parachuting.
While yachting and triathlon will be held in Mumbai, the other 13 disciplines will be held in Hyderabad at the facilities created for the Afro-Asian Games in 2002 and now upgraded.
The first MWG was held in Rome in 1995 to mark the 50th anniversary of the end of World War II. Subsequent events were held at Zagreb (Croatia) in 1999 and at Catania (Italy) in 2003.
India bid for the MWG in 2003 and was awarded the games the following year.