12th SAG declared closed, Nepal to host next Games

16 February, Guwahati

Union Sports Minister Sarbananda Sonowal declared the 12th South Asian Games closed at a glittering function at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium here Tuesday.

The Games officially came to an end with the extinguishing of the Olympic flame and handing over of the Games flag to the next host nation Nepal.

In the biggest ever SAG with participation of over 4500 players and officials, India emerged the leader with 308 medals, including 188 golds, 90 silvers, 30 bronzes, while Sri Lanka came a distant second with 186 medals 25 golds, 63 silvers, 98 bronzes and Pakistan ended at the third position in the tally with 106 medals 12 golds, 37 silvers, 57 bronzes.

Afghanistan, which had to be persuaded by India to participate in the Games, finished with 35 medals 7 golds, 9 silvers, 19 bronzes.Bangladesh and Nepal managed to win four and three golds each, while Maldives and Bhutan could not win the coveted yellow metal. Addressing the closing ceremony, Sonowal praised cooperation of all sections of people in making the Games successful. “It is a remarkable success as we have proved that we are one and we are united in restoring peace and prosperity of the South Asian region,” said he.

Declaring the 12th SAG closed, Sonowal handed the SAG flag to Indian Olympic Association president N Ramchandran, who handed it to the president of the Nepal Olympic Association, JR Shrestha and the Youth and Sports minister of Nepal, Satya Narayan Mandal. The Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal will be hosting the 13th edition of the Games, having earlier hosted the inaugural Games in 1985 and again in 1999.

Taking over the Games flag, Shrestha congratulated India for successfully hosting the 12th edition. He underlined the role of sports for social change, uniting people and bringing regional integrity and urged all cooperation for a successful Games in Nepal.

Earlier in his speech, Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi expressed happiness that the participants were satisfied with the arrangements in Guwahati and Shillong. The 12th SAG was co-hosted by Guwahati and Shillong and was declared open by Prime Minister Narendr Modi on February 5 last here.