Commonwealth Games Delhi 2010: Ellen Barry- the latest athlete to pull out of the Commonwealth Games
Ellen Barry is a tennis player and was going to play at the Commonwealth Games for the New Zealand team. Team New Zealand was one of the first few countries to express its concern over the poor management on part of the Indian Organizing Committee and security
conditions of the country. More than a month back, the sports ministry of New Zealand had declared that the country will only depart its athletes once the Organizing Committee regains their confidence. The hygienic conditions of the Games Village and the security
concerns in the country have compelled the Kiwi tennis player Ellen Barry just announced her withdrawal from the Delhi Games this year.
Everything was prepared for the Team New Zealand tennis squad. The 21 years old Ellen Barry was supposed form a duo with her compatriot Marina Erakovic in the women’s double tennis event of the Games. She told the media and Team New Zealand that she does
not want to participate in the Commonwealth Games this year, since she has her apprehensions regarding the security preparations in the country.
Talking to the correspondents, the chef de Mission of Team New Zealand Dave Currie said that Ellen’s decision to pull out of the Games was taken by her just 24-36 hours before the team departed for the Indian capital. He went on to say that, Ellen’s withdrawal
might as well have a negative impact on Marina’s performance. He also revealed that Marina’s departure was also delayed and now she is due to leave on Friday.
Chef de Mission said that the ministry and the sports federation New Zealand took the decision of sending a delegation to Delhi after scrutinizing the whole situation in India. He also appreciated all the athletes who believed in the righteousness of their
decision and departed for the Games. The original team that was selected to represent New Zealand at the Delhi Games was based on 193 athletes. Ellen is the second athlete to have pulled out, first being the cyclist Greg Henderson. Both the members of the
team withdrew on grounds of security fears.
Currie, the chef de Mission said that the two athletes who pulled out should have had faith in the New Zealand Organizing Committee and approached the officials to find out about the situation in India and about the progress that was being made at the Games
venues regarding security and hygienic conditions of the Residential Zone.
Besides Ellen and Greg who pulled out of the Games, another cyclist Adam Stewart was dropped out of the team by the NZOC, since he was tested positive for the prohibited chemicals EPO and HCG.
On the other hand, discus thrower of Team Australia, Scott Martin has also withdrawn from the Games because of a chest injury. Martin was playing at the Oceania Athletic Championships in Cairns till last week, and that is where the athlete injured a chest
muscle. Martin won a bronze medal at the previous edition of the Games at Melbourne in 2006.
Martin was due to depart for the Delhi Games on Thursday and was very disappointed that he will not be able to make it to the Games and defend his title at the Games. However, he also added that it would not have been possible for him to train for the event
and then compete with the injury in his right pectoral bothering him all the way.
The 100 metre hurdler, Hayley Butler also pulled out of the Commonwealth Games on the plea that she was recovering from the stress injuries that she had received on both her feet. She was planned to compete against her Australian compatriot and Olympic silver
medallist Sally Pearson.
Apart from these two athletes, there is a list of Australian athletes who decided to withdraw from the crisis hit mega event scheduled to start from the 4th of October. Most of them have pulled out due to the security and health concerns. Stephanie
Rice (swimmer), Samantha Stosur (tennis player), Dani Samuels (discus champion), Travis Meyer (cyclist) and Stephanie Sand (table tennis player) are included in the list.
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