Gujarat to host 2029 World Police & Fire Games
Gandhinagar: India was awarded the hosting rights for the 2029 World Police & Fire Games (WPFG), and these games are scheduled to be held across Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar, and Ekta Nagar in Kevadia, the state govt said on Thursday.
The biennial event is expected to welcome over 10,000 athletes from more than 70 countries, representing police, fire, customs, and correctional services.
This positions India as the first South Asian nation to host the WPFG since the Games' inception in 1985. The announcement followed India's final presentation to the California Police Athletic Federation (CPAF), the governing body of the games, on June 25 in Birmingham, Alabama.
India now joins a prestigious group of past host nations, including Canada, Australia, the Netherlands, China, and the United States, affirming its arrival as a central player in the global multi-sport ecosystem, an official statement said.
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The bid underwent a technical and administrative evaluation process over a period of 15 months. The bid team from Gujarat during the final presentation at Birmingham included Ashwini Kumar, principal secretary (sports, youth, and cultural activities) and M Thennarasan, principal secretary (urban development & urban housing), highlighting the state's preparedness and commitment towards delivering the games.
"Building on the success of the 36th National Games in 2022, the 2029 WPFG adds credibility to Gujarat's ambitions of becoming the country's leading destination for high-performance, multi-sport events. With over 15 venues already operational, the games will leverage existing infrastructure while introducing global-standard overlays and operational systems," the govt said.
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