Kathmandu, February 16:

A meeting of South Asian Olympic Committee here today finalised 24 events for the 11th South Asian Games (SAG) to be held in Dhaka in 2010.

As 16 others events were already finalised, the meeting today added eight more events for the January 28 to February 8 regional games. The dates was also finalised here today. The 11th SA Games was originally scheduled for November-December in 2009 but the general election in Bangladesh had forced the postponement.

Cricket was introduced for the first time in the regional games and it was one of the eight events picked up today. Apart from U-21 cricket,

judo, badminton, volleyball, basketball, cycling, wrestling and golf were also included in the Games. While six events were selected by the South Asian Olympic Committee, wrestling and golf were selected by the organising nation.

Earlier, a two-day Regional Forum of Olympic Solidarity and Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) also began today. Nepal Olympic Committee (NOC) is organising the regional forum for the first time in Nepal. In all, 42 members from 11 countries including representatives from International Olympic Committee (IOC) and OCA are participating in the meet.

Countries hosting the 2009 Asian Martial Arts Games (Bangkok), Olympic Youth Games (Singapore), third Asian Indoor Games (Vietnam) and 16th Asian Games (China) will present the progress reports at the meet. Minister for Youth and Sports Gopal Shakya inaugurated the Regional Forum.