Commonwealth Games

[Morequick]

Not going well is it?

"Adding to the sense of chaos that has enveloped an event India hoped would project its new economic power on the international stage, a leading Australian athlete pulled out of the competition because of security fears.Discus world champion Dani Samuels pulled out because of security and health concerns, her coach was quoted as saying by Australian Associated Press.

Organisers are scrambling to contain the damage, fearful that a pullout by a major team could wreck the October 3-14 multisport showcase that has long been dogged by delays, corruption allegations and anxiety about safety.Mike Hooper, chief executive of the Commonwealth Games Federation, led stinging criticism about the athletes' residential towers, which will embarrass the government that has admitted the country's prestige is on the line.

"They're filthy. You can't occupy them. They need a deep clean. There's builders' dust and rubble in doorways, shower doors the wrong way round, toilets that don't work," he said just two days before athletes begin arriving. There was also "excrement in places it shouldn't be", he said -- referring to problems thought to be the result of thousands of labourers using the toilets in the "certainly uninhabitable" residential complex.

Complaints about cleanliness, plumbing and electrics were also made by other countries that have sent advance parties to the Indian capital, including Scotland which described the village as "unsafe and unfit for human habitation".The government blacklisted PNR Infrastructure, the company that was constructing the bridge, and ordered an investigation by a two-member committee, the Press Trust of India reported.The Indian organising committee attempted to reassure athletes.

Lalit Bhanot, organising committee secretary-general and official spokesman for the games, said the village was "probably one of the best ever".

"The athletes will arrive here from the evening of September 23 and we are doing our best to clean the entire village well in time," he said.

"Everyone has different standards about cleanliness. The westerners have different standards, we have different standards.""

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=7977623

[Morequick]

Some photos of the "best ever" Games Village and what our athletes have to live in:

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/glance/8016063/photos-of-games-village-leaked

I find it ironic that Democratic India is marred by so much corruption and sub-standard work, even when their national honour is at stake whereas Communist China on the other hand were able to pull of an Olympic games on an unprecedented scale. I fail to see the comparison between the two countries, they are worlds apart.

And a "2 man investigation committee", purlease, their aftermath investigation is just as shoddy as their initial construction.

Edited September 24, 2010 by Morequick

[Noodle Boy]

i'm surpirsed to have seen the commonwealth games committee choose india as the host country in the first place. don't be surprised everyone, this games is going to be a disaster.

[Ozzcaddy]

Following the comment made by a high ranking Indian Official after the collapse of the foot bridge, when he said: The athletes and officials will not have used the bridge, only the spectators. I just thought wow. Then with the reports and pictures coming out of the games area where health and building issues are still a problem with only 9 days to go.

If India's level of health is so much lower then what we expect, I would think their construction ethics and standards would also be lower to what we expect.

[Morequick]

i'm surpirsed to have seen the commonwealth games committee choose india as the host country in the first place. don't be surprised everyone, this games is going to be a disaster.

That's only half of it. How can India not know what it is or is not capable of? They obviously planned to use this event as a coming out party, to try and emulate China's success with the '08 Olympic Games. Not only is this embarrassing for the Commonwealth Games Committee who awarded the games to India, but also a colossal loss of face for India especially as they view themselves as a rising power.

It is incredibly ironic that Democratic India is more corrupt than Communist China.

[Blind Kid Seeks]

"We are heartened that Sheila Diksh!t [Delhi government's chief minister] has personally taken control of the situation, ensuring that the necessary additional resources are brought in, including support from the Delhi hoteliers association to address standards of cleanliness and hygiene and oversee quality control," said Doig.

I lol'd.

:)

[Speedz]

Well how many days left now...?

Some also say the pics on the news are old and now what they look like now, i gotta see it live to believe it though...!!! :)

Otherwise this will be a total disaster for India and for the games too for its incompetence of monitoring the construction progress and milestones...

[Morequick]

Update! Only 3 days to go before Opening Ceremony!

Delhi deploys 'super monkey' security guards

"Delhi authorities are to deploy a contingent of langurs -- a large type of monkey -- at Commonwealth Games venues to help chase away smaller simians from the sporting extravaganza.From today, 10 langurs will be put on duty outside Games venues in the Indian capital, with the boxing and hockey stadiums seen as particularly vulnerable to monkey misbehaviour, an official said.

Four of them will be posted outside the boxing complex with their handlers, while another four will patrol the hockey complex. Two have been kept in reserve to respond in the event of an emergency.

Wildlife has so far posed major headaches for the under-fire organisers, with stray dogs found in venues and a snake captured at the tennis complex.

After one of the strongest monsoon seasons in years, the capital is also struggling with a major dengue fever outbreak, caused by mosquitoes that breed in standing water.

Fish that eat mosquito larvae have been put in the pond in the Games Village to protect athletes from dengue, a viral infection transmitted to humans by the female Aedes mosquito.

Monkeys are a common sight in the verdant Indian capital, where they routinely scamper through government offices, courts and even police stations and hospitals."

[http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=8077614]

Talk about using primitive measures <_< . God help the athletes who are being protected by 'super monkeys' and larvae eating fish.

I will say this though, this Commonwealth Games will definitely be unique lol.

[SecaBoy]

its india... i dont know why people expected anything different to whats happened...