Commonwealth Games sufferes another setback
As if concerns of dengue fever and swine flu weren’t enough, athletes and tourists will now also need to worry about gunmen at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi.
Officials announced today that the Games will go on despite a gun attack which saw a pair of Taiwanese visitors shot, but not seriously injured, near Jama Masjid, a popular tourist attraction. The gunmen
fired at the two tourists without evident cause before fleeing on a motorbike.
"All that I can appeal to everybody is, please do not panic. An incident like this is something worrying but nothing to panic about," said Sheila Dikshit, Delhi's chief minister.
Australia’s Commonwealth Games association has shown support by stating that they believed there is “an acceptable level of security” at the games, and the UK is working with Indian authorities to ensure
a safe environment.
Police claim that the attack has nothing to do with the Commonwealth Games, but it is another setback on an already long list.
One concern is that some of the venues are still not completed with the Games less than two weeks away, after work on them began years later than originally planned. The delays are blamed on corruption
and political infighting. The city has also taken criticism after forcing migrant shanty towns to relocate to allow for the games village to be built in their stead.
A long list of star athletes deciding to not participate has affected ticket sales and tourism. Many athletes have opted to sit out of the games to better prepare for next year’s World Championships.
Hotels are also complaining that they will not be as full as they usually are in October.
With the cost of the event nearing four billion pounds, the loss of tourism is a major concern for the city.
Delhi was awarded the 2010 Commonwealth Games seven years ago, and at the time it was expected to provide a stage to showcase the city to the world. Now the city is hoping to just get through the games
without incident.
Tags: