Commonwealth Games 2010: Kalmadi Promises World Class Event amid Mismanagement Claims
The Chief of the Commonwealth Organising committee, Suresh Kalmadi, has reassured the international media that despite a plethora of controversies the Games will turn out to be one of the best ever.
New Delhi has come under scathing attacks by international and local media after failing to live up to its promise of delivering a world class event as one after another facility crumbled, literally.
This includes the collapse of a pedestrian bridge, and the false ceiling of a weightlifting facility alongside cracks and seepage at the main venue set to host a majority of the events in the 12 day long event, set to commence
on the 3rd of October.
Members of the media community were taken on a visit of the Commonwealth Games athletes' village where Kalmadi tried to address their growing concerns about the event.
They toured the living quarters for athletes and officials as well as the swimming pools and gyms in the village which the OC officials have described as "one of the best in the world."
The village has suffered from an extraordinarily heavy monsoon season that has jeopardized construction efforts at the
Games Village and other venues.
"It was raining all the time so there would be water-logging" said Kalmadi. "But now we have one full day of sunshine, and by pumps we have removed all the water. So you would have seen no water-logging. Hopefully there would
be bright days ahead, and I am sure we would deliver good Games."
The organisers are running from pillar to post in an effort to fix the various problems that have beset the venue and in a frenetic move the Indian Army was called-in to help rescue the organisers.
Some of the leading athletes from around the world have pulled out of the event yet some 7,000 athletes from 71 teams representing 54 countries are due in
New Delhi.
Due to gross mismanagement and corruption the Games have already become the costliest ever with a budget of a whopping 3.6 billion U.S. dollars. The event was supposed to herald
India’s rise as more than just a tourist destination or a developing country with rising economic power – it was, as viewed by many organisers, supposed to be
India’s answer to the Beijing Olympics. However, poor organisation along with security concerns has rendered the preparation for these games an embarrassment for
India.
A collapsed footbridge, falling ceiling tiles and areas of the athletes' village, described by some team officials as "unfit for human habitation", have created uproar in India and abroad, raising questions over the country's
ability to host the Games.
The media tour of the village was a move by the organisers to restore confidence in the event.
Kalmadi told reporters that other countries had often hosted the Games, and
India, having won the right to be hosts, will make sure the event goes well.
"We have not hosted a Commonwealth Games since the last 60 years from our independence," Kalmadi said. "The Commonwealth Games always goes to the developed countries. It has gone to
Australia many times, it has gone to Canada many times, it has gone to the
UK many times, it has gone to New Zealand, and never did
India get it. We went and really bid for it. We met many people and finally got the Games. At that time I had said I will give you very good Games, and that promise is there, we will give you good Games.”
Kalmadi finally reassured the media that the Games would be popular and a real success.
"Lots of other athletes are coming, lots of world champions are coming, lots of Commonwealth Games champions are coming," concluded Kalmadi.
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