Hyderabad readies for sepaktakraw World Cup

Hyderabad: If the Organising Committee has its way then the ensuing STAF World Cup Sepaktakraw Championship-2017, which will be conducted here, will be amongst the best ever sports extravaganzas held in recent times.

The mega event, which will see globally acknowledged players in top grade action, will be held at the GMC Balayogi Stadium here from November 2 to 5.

Giving details about the upcoming showpiece, Sports Minister T Padma Rao Goud, and ISTAF officials Dato Abdul Halim Kader and Muhammad Taufiq said that all infrastructural facilities were being put in place to ensure that Telangana State will achieve an exalted status as a promoter of sports.

Incidentally, Pullela Gopichand will be the brand ambassador of the tournament.Halim Kader stated that they were awaiting clearance from the Ministry of External Affairs with regard to clearances for players from Pakistan, China, Myanmar and Iran.
Stating that the sport was gaining in popularity, he said that the fraternity was hopeful of sepaktakraw being a medal event in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

He urged Anipuram Venkateshwar Reddy, Chairman of Sports Authority of Telangana State (SATS), who was present on the occasion, to establish a sepaktakraw academy in Hyderabad.

Organising Secretary Dr SR Premraj assured to make the event a grand success, thanks to cooperation of the sport-friendly State Government and SATS.