India will bid for 2016 Olympics: Kalmadi

India would bid for the 2016 Olympic Games, Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president Suresh Kalmadi said in Panaji on Monday.

"The 2012 Olympic Games has been allotted to London, so it is unlikely that any other European country would be given an opportunity to host the 2016 Olympic", Kalmadi added.

He was speaking at a function organised by Sports Authority of Goa (SAG) in Panaji last evening to felicitate him on being elected chairman of the organising committee of the 20101 Commonwealth Games to be held in New Delhi.

Urging Goa to host the 2011 National Games, Kalmadi said if the state government shows interest in hosting the Games, the IOA would provide 50 per cent of the budget to develop the infrastructure.

"If a state like trouble-torn Manipur can hold the 2004 National Games, why cannot Goa, which is traditionally a sports-loving state, host the Games?" said Kalmadi.

Goa sports minister Pandurang Madkaikar said that although the state cabinet has not approved the proposal for hosting the Games yet, he is hopeful that an appropriate decision would be taken very soon.

Kalmadi said he would try to convince Goa chief minister Pratapsingh Rane in this regard.