New Zealand tennis player Ellen Barry withdraws from the Commonwealth Games
The fortified Games village in the city of New Delhi failed to boost up the confidence level of a tennis player from New Zealand, Ellen Barry as she recorded her name as the latest one to withdraw from the Commonwealth Games starting from Oct, 3rd
as a result of security issues.
The 21-year-old tennis sensation from New Zealand was scheduled to team up with Marina Erakovic in the women's doubles contest; however, she pulled out at the last moment in New Delhi saying that she is not satisfied and comfortable with the security arrangements
in the athlete’s village.
She said her gut instinct had told her to pull out from the crises hit multi-discipline event.
"I was just concerned for my health and safety. I know a lot of athletes will be going, but for me it felt like the right decision. Up until the day before yesterday I was still weighing it up, it was very difficult to come to a decision, but I just wanted
to go with what my gut feeling was. That was, that it's the right thing for me to come home," Ellen told the reporters on Friday.
Barry, as a result of her withdrawal decision, has now become the second player from New Zealand to pull out citing security in the games lead-up which has been affected by infrastructure failures, an outbreak of dengue fever along with the constant fears
regarding athletes’ security.
Greg Henderson, a team sky cyclist earlier withdrew last week saying there were too many risks.
Dave Currie, who is chef de mission of New Zealand, said the both of them were the only ones from 190 odd athletes from New Zealand to withdraw due to security issues, however, conceded more could follow.
"I do not know but I guess there is also the possibility that others, while they are here, might decide they want to go home," said Dave on Friday.
He further added, “We’ve had athletes in here for 36 hours and I've had no sense of that yet. But if it was the case and somebody said 'look, Dave, I don't feel safe', then we would facilitate them going home."
Tags: