Colombo, Oct 13 (IANS): Maldives will host the second South Asian Beach Games in 2013, the South Asian Olympic Council (SAOC) confirmed.

The decision was taken at the SAOC meeting at southern Sri Lankan coastal city Hambantota, where the inaugural South Asian Beach Games are now in progress.

Hemasiri Fernando, president of Sri Lanka National Olympic Committee and an executive member of the SAOC, told Xinhua that it was unanimously decided to hold the next Games in the Maldives.

The Maldives will decide the dates of the event, according to Fernando.

The total number of sports in the second edition are also to be decided later.

Bodybuilding and triathlon had to be removed from the scheduled 12 disciplines for the inaugural event due to lack of participation among the eight South Asian nations.

The first South Asian Beach Games were originally to be held in the Maldives but on the request of Sri Lanka, were shifted to Hambantota, the tsunami hit city which is also for the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

Sri Lanka is bidding against Australia's Gold Coast to host the Commonwealth Games in 2018.