Canada’s trip to the Commonwealth Games also delayed; two athletes pulled out of the Games
Despite the various press releases from the Health Advisory of the Commonwealth Games in which they assured the delegates and the visitors that the epidemic of influenza and dengue fever is now showing a declining trend, Kevin Tataryn and Dietmar Trillus
of Team Canada have refused to be a part of the Commonwealth Games New Delhi over health and security issues. The two archers announced their withdrawal in Toronto on the 23rd of September.
The executive director of Archery Canada, Scott Ogilvie said that the two archers will not be going to India due to the recent news about the poor safety and hygienic conditions of the Games Village.
The executive director said during a press release that the remaining ten athletes of the team will be leaving for the Indian Commonwealth Games on this Tuesday, as for Tataryn and Dietmar, he said that the decision of pulling out of the Games was taken
on personal basis and the organization had absolutely no say and involvement in it.
The Commonwealth Games seem to be unliveable and the chances of survival are slimming day by day as the delegates and the Missions of the participating nations are constantly complaining about the hygienic conditions of the Athletes Village and about the
poor infrastructure facilities that have been provided by the Organizing Committee. When incidents like the collapsing of the bridge and that too near the main venue of the Games take place, then the athletes and other concerned people cannot be blamed for
accusing and criticising the Indian administration and Organizing Committee.
The athletes who were tentative about participating in the Games, did not find it hard to decide what they had to do after the Team New Zealand and Team Scotland complaints and comments about the Games Village. The infrastructure is seriously lacking quality
as reported by the experts.
The 25 year old Canadian archer Tataryn said that he will always prefer his security and health over a medal or an award. The archer is a materials technician with a geotechnical engineering firm. He went on to say that the officials of the Indian administration
make the problems seem very small, when in a reality they are grave issues.
Michael Fennell, the chief of the Commonwealth Games Federation has dispatched a letter to the Cabinet Secretary Canada, in which he has discussed the poor living conditions at the Games Village in detail. He also wrote in the letter that it is not very
likely that the high profile athletes from the world over will participate in the much awaited event if the Indian government and the Organizing Committee of the Commonwealth Games make any delays in taking serious steps towards resolving the issues that are
bothering the countries invloved, including Canada, Scotland and New Zealand.
Some things like the heavy monsoon rainfall can be attributed to the bad luck of the Indian administration, but hygienic problems like filth in the rooms and the lack of electricity in some of the blocks of the Games Village are evidence of non-competitive
work on the part of the Organizing Committee of the Commonwealth Games.
Two venues of the Games have collapsed, which is a serious concern for the athletes and the visitors. Looking at accidents like this, even small teams have started to pull out of the event. If this continues to happen, then the experts think, the Games will
die before its birth. It is going to be a huge setback on India’s economy and an utter tragedy for the government of India if the Games do not take place, said the British sports minister.
The Commonwealth Games is the first major international event after the Summer Olympics of Beijing in 2008 and the last before the Summer Olympics of London 2012. There are a lot of expectations attached to the success of the Games since the preparation
has caused a huge drain on the finances of the country, money which could be spend on various development projects.
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