Imphal, Mar 15 (UNI) Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Friday appealed to all sportspersons to lead a disciplined life and work hard.
Success comes to those who slog day and night and sportspersons should never give up in life he added while addressing the Blessing Ceremony of Manipur State Contingent for the third North East Games, to be held at Nagaland on Friday at CM Secretariat.
He lauded the sportspersons who have decided to take part in the Games inspite of the crisis in the state. He narrated an incident when he went to take part in a national football tournament and decided to quit as he did not get the opportunity to play the full game. A senior player from Manipur , Nobobabu encouraged him to continue playing and informed him that he had been sitting in the bench for over a decade to be called in to play.
Sports players are professionals who should face all obstacles and Manipur is the only state in the country which has implemented a livelihood scheme for all sportspersons, he said. Hi tech training centre, Sports University, Olympian park, one village one playground programme and many other initiatives are taken up to encourage the players he said.
Biren said Manipur won the earlier two North East Games and encouraged the players to continue bringing laurels for the state and handed over the Manipur Olympic Games flag to Moirangthem Ratan Singh Chef-de-Mission. For the Games a strong contingent of 319 players and officials were selected to take part in the Games to be held from March 18 to 23. Moirangthem Ratan Singh Chef-de-Mission said Manipur contingent have started leaving for Nagaland in different batches . Yanglem Bony Singh and N Ibungochoubi , Deputy Chefs-de-Mission were coordinating the arrangements while Angom Johnson and Th Jayanta Singh would be Media Coordinators.
While Athletics will be held in IG Stadium, Kohima, the remaining disciplines will be held in NAPTC Niathu Resort in Chumukedima, Tetso College, Archery Complex, Futsal B, Multiple purpose Hall, Shooting Complex of Sovima and Kuda Village.

The players will be competing in fifteen disciplines namely Archery, Athletics, Badminton, Basketball, Boxing, Football, Pencak Silat, Sepak Takraw, Table Tennis, Taekwondo, Tennis, Volleyball, Belt Wrestling, Freestyle Wrestling and Wushu. Players comprise 163 males and 113 females while there are 38 males and 5 females as Coaches and Managers.


Deputy Chef-de-Mission N Ibungochoubi said the players, coaches and managers will travel in a phased manner on March 16 and 17. The Manipur Olympic Association will also depute members as Observers of the Games.
"We have received communication from the host state Nagaland that arrangements are being made to provide a sporting atmosphere for the young players from all the North East states.
UNI NS SY