Oct 29, Colombo: A Sri Lankan delegation will leave for Macao on November 07 to sign the agreement to hold the 3rd Asian Youth Games in Hambantota in 2017.

Around 5,000 athletes representing 45 countries are expected to participate in the grand sports event.

Asian Olympic Committee organizes the multi-sport international event that is held in every four years

Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa has appointed Minister of Sports Mahindananda Aluthgamage as the chairman of the committee of the 3rd Asian Youth Games and Minister of Education Bandula Gunawardena is the co-chairman.

Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunga chairs the organizing committee of the sports festival.

The action committee comprises Hambantota parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa, the Chairman of Sri Lanka Olympic Committee Hemasiri Fernando, secretaries of the Ministries of Sports and Education, Director General of Sports, representatives of the Ministry of Defence and Sri Lanka Tourist Board.

A sports village is currently being built in Hambantota to hold the South Asian Games, the bi-annual multi-sport event in 2016.

Sri Lanka also bid to host the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Hambantota but lost to the Gold Coast of Australia.