Guwahati: The outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) on Saturday dropped a bombshell by calling for a boycott of the upcoming 33rd National Games to be held in Assam in February.
"We appeal to all the players not to participate at the National Games so long as the Assam-India conflict is not resolved," ULFA chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa said in a statement received by IANS.
The 10-day National Games, India's biggest sporting event is to be held in Guwahati from February 9 with all preparations almost ready.
"We respect and love sports and sportspersons, but we protest the move to host the National Games in Assam with the conflict still on and the occupational forces torturing innocent people daily," the rebel statement said.
More than 10,000 players and officials from across the country are expected for the National Games.
"We don't know what would happen now. Players from other states might refuse to come after the ULFA threat," said an official of the National Games Secretariat. "The Indian Olympic Association is the ultimate authority to decide now after the ULFA threat."
(For updates you can share with your friends, follow IBNLive on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Pinterest)
More on IBNLive Right Now
TOP NEWS
MOST SHARED
PHOTOGALLERY
