Sports

All preparations, including logistics management, have been completed for the ninth National Games, which will take place in the Gandaki Province from October 14-20.

Around 8,000 players, coaches and officials will participate in the largest gathering of Nepali sports. 

According to Secretary at the Ministry of Youth and Sports Surya Prasad Gautam, Vice President Nanda Bahadur Pun will inaugurate the multi-sports event at Pokhara Stadium. Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba is scheduled to attend the Games' closing ceremony as the chief guest.

The attention is now focused on the event that will commence in Pokhara and surrounding districts. The Games have returned to the region 39 years after Pokhara played host to the second National Games in 1984. 

The weeklong event features 36 sports competitions spread out among districts in Gandaki Province, except for Lamjung, Manang, and Mustang. 

Although the event will officially begin on Friday, the men's cricket tournament has already been completed. Similarly, women's cricket, handball, and fencing competitions have started. 

Pokhara will host men's football, athletics, boxing, weightlifting, badminton, wushu, handball, hockey, squash, and shooting competitions. The lake city will also host gymnastics, lawn tennis, soft tennis, cricket, cycling, archery, swimming, golf, paragliding, triathlon, karate, and table tennis.
Waling, Syangja will stage the women's football competition; Beni, Myagdi will host taekwondo and volleyball; Nawalpur (kabaddi, wrestling, and kho-kho) and Gorkha (judo and sepak takraw).

Secretary Gautam said that a secretariat had been set up in Pokhara for the Games' operations and management.

The National Sports Council has set up 13 thematic committees to prepare for the National Games. Besides a federal budget of Rs 600 million for the event, additional funds have been allocated with priority from the provincial governments. The central government has allocated Rs4.9 million to each province to train and prepare players for the tournament. 

Players representing 11 teams – seven provinces, three departmental teams Nepal Army, Nepal Police and Armed Police Force, and non-resident Nepali Association (NRN) – will compete for 393 gold, 393 silver, and 600 bronze medals.

According to the organisers, all participating players are scheduled to reach the competition venues by Wednesday afternoon.