Mumbai Games, an initiative by Sportz Village Xp (formerly known as Sportz Consult) is organized under the aegis of the Maharashtra Olympic Association (MOA). Mumbai's biggest annual sports extravaganza is all set to begin its new season with more vigour, enthusiasm and participation from November 30.
The first season saw almost 11,000 participants competing in 16 sports and Season 2 aims at bringing the number of participants to almost 20,000. Mumbai Games is governed by a council comprising of Olymp Pullela Gopichand, Anjali Bhagwat and Viren Rasquinha at the helm.
"I am very happy that the new season kicks off with Badminton, my favourite sport and I'm sure that with an increased number of sports in Season 2, more Mumbaikars will come out to play. Sportz Village Xp has been working towards developing a sporting environment at the grassroots level and therefore it was a natural move for me to be a part of a stellar sporting revolution," said Pullela Gopichand, one of the members of the governing council.
This season of Mumbai Games has a total of 20 sports namely Badminton, Football 5x5, Chess, Carrom, Squash, Taekwondo, Run, Yoga, Pool, Athletics, Gymnastics, Table Tennis, Shooting, Skating, Judo, Basketball, Swimming, Cricket, Volleyball, and Bowling which will be conducted at venues spanning across Mumbai and Navi Mumbai.
Speaking on being associated with Mumbai Games, Anjali Bhagwat said "It is great to be a part of such a huge sporting event which is gathering momentum by the day. Last season inspired the kids, youth and the seniors to come and express themselves in the sporting environment. The enthusiasm with which the participants take part in the games is inspiring. It is an investment in inculcating the sporting culture from the formative years and it's not just about the elite athletes but amateur athletes that come in big numbers at Mumbai Games to share their love for sport"
Mumbai Games will be competed in 2 divisions, Amateur and Elite. The Amateur division has no cap on entries and contingents will automatically be allotted depending on the residential address. The elite division has players depending on their district, state and national rankings divided into the 8 contingents via an auction. The city is divided depending on the areas in Mumbai, Navi Mumbai and Thane and the contingents are called Navi Mumbai Ninjas, Central Challengers, Thane Thunderbolts, South Mumbai Seahawks, Midtown Mavericks, Flying Falcons, Western Warriors and Northern Knights.
Mumbai Games is scheduled during the weekends over two months across multiple venues in Mumbai & Navi Mumbai, ensuring all-inclusive timelines, active mass participation and maximum engagement.
( With inputs from IANS )