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In a newly issued statement by the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) on Wednesday, February 5, demonstration sports Yogasana and Mallakhamb will now be medal sports at the 38th National Games in Uttarakhand.
Ahead of the multi-sport event, IOA had classified these two games as demonstration sports. In a statement released in December 2024, the IOA had stated that the 38th National Games in Uttarakhand will feature 32 core and four demonstration sports - Yogasana, Mallakhamb, Kalaripayattu, and rafting.
However, the IOA issued the latest statement on Wednesday, stating Yogasana and Mallakhamb as medal sports. With this move, the ongoing Games are now being competed in 34 core sports and two demonstration sports.
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Kalaripayattu and Rafting will remain as demonstration sports at the National Games
Kalaripayattu and rafting will remain as demonstration sports. While Kalaripayattu is a form of martial arts that originated in Kerala, rafting is a sport in which a person uses an inflatable raft to navigate a river or other body of water.
"Yes, they (Yogasana and Mallakhamb) were confirmed as medal sports by the IOA as the host (state) has a right to request two sports (as medal sports)," an IOA source told PTI.
It’s worth noting that Yogasana is a sport that focuses on players performing yogic postures and they are judged on their difficulty, balance, control, flexibility, and endurance.
On the other hand, Mallakhamb is a traditional and ancient Indian sport in which the player performs a combination of gymnastics, yoga, and aerial acrobatics on a vertical wooden pole or a rope. Malla means wrestler while Khamb means a pole.
According to the statement released by the IOA last year, the National Games were expected to have 34 sports disciplines under the actual Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the IOA and the Uttarakhand State Olympic Association.
However, PT Usha, the IOA president and the Games Technical Conduct Committee (GTCC) had approved only 32 sports disciplines and four demonstration sports.
