Delhi-Incheon showdown for Asiad 2014 tomorrow

Kuwait City, Apr 16 (UNI) Both Indian and Korean contingents were busy in last-gasp canvassing to woo votes ahead of OCA's secret ballot tomorrow which would decide whether New Delhi gets a chance to host the Asian Games after 32 years or Incheon walks away with rights to organise the 2014 edition of the continental sporting meet.

It is expected to be a photo-finish between the two cities as Delhi is bidding for its third Asian Games, after the inugural 1951 Games and then 1982 edition, while Incheon, with enough dough, will be seeking the rights to host the world-class extravaganza, next only to Olympics, for the first time.

The two cities will be putting up their cases in the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) General Assembly in form of 30-minute presentations after which the 45-member congress will take to the voting.

The Indian capital has dubbed its claim as ''a billion people's bid'' and is counting on the fact that 2010 Commonwealth would provide an ideal platform for Delhi to gear up itself for the 17th edition of the games.

''We have a very strong case to bring back the games here in 2014,'' Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president Suresh Kalmadi had said in Delhi before leaving for Kuwait.

''We're already hosting 2010 Commonwealth Games. World class infrastructure would be all there in place. New Delhi will be a global city by then. All that makes ours a very strong case for consideration,'' he said.

''We have certain points that go in our favour. They (South Korea) have already hosted Asian Games in Busan in 2002, while we last hosted back in 1982,'' Mr Kalmadi had said.

However, Korea's third largest city Incheon might just score over New Delhi as it wooed away China, and in that process even Hong Kong and Macau, to support its cause.

During his visit to Seoul last week, Premier Wen Jiabao reportedly promise to instruct concerned Chinese authorities to prepare measures to support the (Incheon) city's bid.

Previously China was known to be backing New Delhi. South Korean foreign ministry officials in India, who participated in a meeting of foreign ministers in New Delhi in February, told the Incheon bid committee that Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing made a remark supporting the Indian city.

Meanwhile, the Korean port city, which makes its presentation before New Delhi, will promise to raise 20 million dollars to support Asian countries that have not yet won medals in the Asian Games.

According to Korean news agency 'Yonhap', Incheon, which has a population of 2.74 million, has already secured support from at least 20 of the 45 member nations in the OCA, just a few short of the 23 needed to beat New Delhi.

A lot is at stakes for both the cities as the competition is supposed to have an economic effect in tune of billions of dollars and create hundreds of thousands of new jobs.

UNI