71 names sent for government clearance

The Indian Olympic Association has sent the names of 71 sportspersons for government clearance for the Olympics, after it successfully met the August 25 deadline for posting the entries by name to the Sydney Olympic Games Organising Committee.

"We have sent the names of 71 athletes to the government and have got confirmation from them of receipt of the list," Ashok Mattoo, India's chef-de-mission for the Sydney Games, said in Delhi on Thursday.

"The government has agreed in principle to clear all the names suggested by the IOA," Mattoo added.

After the brouhaha over the participation of some athletes in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, the government this time seems to have shown confidence in the selection procedure applied by the IOA for the Games.

"As of now the government is not going to hold back any athlete. Everyone of the selected athletes are going, as the government has expressed readiness to sponsor all," Mattoo said.

The IOA on Tuesday sent the names of 71 athletes to the SOGOC just before the official deadline. The final athletics squad though is yet to be named from the provisional 32 that have been registered with the SOGOC. There will be withdrawals from the athletics team as the final squad is to be be announced based on the performance at the August 25-31 Asian Track and Field Meet in Jakarta.

This will make it 60-odd sportspersons at the September 15- October 1 Olympics, making it one of the biggest Indian contingents in recent times.