New Delhi: The war of words between the Indian Olympic Association and the Union Sports Minister after New Delhi lost the bid to host the Asian Games in 2014 to Incheon, South Korea, isn't over just yet.
IOA officials had slammed Sports Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar for his comments to the media in Kuwait that cost them the bid. But the Minister has shot back saying it that the Capital having hosted the Games twice before went against them.
In Rajya Sabha on Thursday, when the question was put up to the Sports Minister again, Aiyar said that two main reasons were responsible for Incheon's preference over New Delhi.
"Partly because the RoK delegation said they would be showcasing all of Asia at Incheon, and not just RoK alone," Aiyar said, citing the first.
He then added that Delhi had hosted the event twice in 1951 and 1982, which also went against the Indian bid.
"Delhi had earlier been the venue of two Asian Games in 1951 and 1982 respectively, whereas Incheon had not earlier hosted the Games," he pointed out.
Before the Indian delegation in Kuwait made its presentation, Mani Shankar Aiyar had told the media that hosting mega sporting events like the Commonwealth Games and the Asiad would never be of help to the common man.
IOA President Suresh Kalmadi had criticised Aiyar for making the comments just before the bid, which possibly led to many voting nations going against the Capital. This, apart from the fact that Korea clearly outbid India by the sheer amount of money they promised for setting up the infrastructure.
"Money and Mani cost us the bid," Kalmadi had said.
"As the ballot was secret and no explanation of vote was required either before or after the vote, it is not possible to categorically state the reasons for which the vote was lost but it is to be noted that the Chairman of the Olympic Council of Asia announced that the vote was decided by 'a narrow margin'," Aiyar said.
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