YEREVAN (Noyan Tapan)–Gymnasiums and sporting fields are being renovated in time for the Pan-Armenian Games which will start on August 28. At a press conference held Friday the Deputy Minister of Culture–Youth Affairs and Sports Iskhan Zakarian announced that the renovations will be finished on August 20. The government of Armenia has allocated 19 million drams for the renovations.
800 Athletes from 23 countries and 53 cities will participate in the Pan-Armenian games which will end on September 5. There will be no competition on September 1 because the athletes will visit the Genocide Memorial in Yerevan.
Zakarian announced that the games will be held in Armenia again in 2001–after which in 2004 the Pan-Armenian games will take place the same year the Olympic Games are held.