Goa, Nov. 10 -- Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has dismissed rumours suggesting that the Shyama Prasad Mukherjee (SPM) Stadium has been allotted for the FIDE Chess Olympiad, leading to the cancellation of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) inauguration event.

Addressing media reports and social media speculation, Sawant clarified that no such allocation has been made and that the information being circulated is completely false. He confirmed that the IFFI closing ceremony will, as scheduled, be held at the SPM Stadium.

"We have not given the SPM Stadium for FIDE. A wrong message is circulating that the IFFI inauguration won't take place because the stadium is allotted for the FIDE Cup - this is false," the Chief Minister ...