Afro-Asian games will help Indian athletes

The first Afro-Asian Games, to be held in India in November, will help India's athletes make an impact in bigger international events, Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee said on Sunday.

"The Afro-Asian games will also be a testing ground for our athletes and sportspersons for next year's Asian Games and Commonwealth Games (and) the Olympics in 2004," he said.

Vajpayee was speaking after releasing the official mascot "Sheroo", a brightly dressed lion, for the November 3-11 games to held in New Delhi.

Around 3,000 athletes and officials from nearly 90 countries are expected for the event featuring eight sports - athletics, boxing, field hockey, shooting, soccer, swimming, tennis and weightlifting.

The top four African and best three Asian nations, and India will make the field in each event.

The games, expected to cost around 1,200 million rupees, have been heavily criticised over escalating costs, lack of sponsor interest and doubts whether the best talent from either continent will participate.

Intervention from prime minister Vajpayee only saved the games after a dispute between Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president Suresh Kalmadi and federal sports minister Uma Bharti almost led to their cancellation.

Bharti said holding the games was a matter of pride for India, which hosted the first Asian games in New Delhi in 1951.

She said the organising committee would launch a publicity campaign as part of the build-up for the games.