The much-delayed 36th National Games, scheduled for October-November in Goa, was on Thursday postponed indefinitely due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) recently asked the Goa government that it must host the National Games as scheduled from October 20 to November 4 this year.
However, a spurt in the number of novel coronavirus cases has led to a postponement.
"The National Games organising committee has decided to postpone National Games due to COVID-19 pandemic," Goa's deputy chief minister Manohar (Babu) Ajgaonkar, who also holds the sports portfolio, said in a statement shared by IOA President Narinder Batra.
"... Committee to hold meeting in September end and decide on fixing dates for National Games. (Goa) Government to take advice from Union Sports Ministry, need four months advance notice to organise games," he added.
The previous edition of the Games was held back in 2015 in Kerala.