New Delhi: Controversies swirling around the Commonwealth Games has put a question mark over India's bid for the 2019 Asian Games with Sports Minister MS Gill stepping in and keeping the bid on hold.
Sports Ministry sources have told CNN-IBN that the Asian Games bid needs Cabinet clearance and that clearance is unlikely after the Commonwealth Games controversy.
The Sports Ministry is also upset with the Indian Olympic Association that they went ahead for the bid without taking a go-ahead from them. They also maintain that after the Commonwealth Games budget shot up by almost 17 times, the budget for the Asian Games bid will have to be carefully examined.
Even IOA sources have admitted to CNN-IBN that their proposal will in all probablity not meet with the approval of the government.
Meanwhile, another report has highlighted how the Games organising committee has awarded contracts to hire equipment at unheard of rates.
They've paid Rs 9.75 lakh to rent each treadmill for a month-and-a-half, while special chairs for IOA chief Suresh Kalmadi and other officials each cost Rs eight thousand. And 100-litre refrigerators to cool drinks for officials are being hired at Rs 42,000 a piece.
The organising committee secretary has defended high hiring cost, saying they were of better quality and provided for the complete package.
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