Team colours banned outside Commonwealth venues
Showing support for your country is usually considered a safe thing to do at an athletics events, but not at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi. The English team of athletes has been banned from wearing
their team colours outside of the Games’ venues.
Britons, Australians, New Zealanders, and Canadians are on the top of the terrorist hit list, and are at risk of being kidnapped in Delhi.
Craig Hunter, England’s chef de mission, has told his team of 565 that they are not to wear their red and white clothes while not in the athlete’s village or in transport to the village.
“It is important everyone is in a good place (mentally) and feels safe and secure. At the moment I believe the security of the athletes is robust and at an appropriate level,” said Hunter.
Australia has reported that there are plans by terrorists linked to Al-Qaeda to take foreign hostages at the Games, and the Foreign Office has stated that there is a high risk of terrorism in Delhi.
“We have highlighted the particular risk that terrorists will attempt attacks in the run-up to and during the Delhi Commonwealth Games,” said a Foreign Office spokesman.
Triple jump champion, Phillips Idowu of England, tweeted last week that he will not put himself in danger by attending the Commonwealth Games, and world champion discus thrower, Dani Samuels of Australia,
has backed out over concerns for her health and safety.
Earlier this month two Taiwanese tourists were shot by gunmen on a motorcycle without apparent motive. The tourists did not sustain life-threatening injuries, but the attack has added fuel to the fear
of terrorist activity at the Games.
Canada and New Zealand have both followed suit by not allowing their athletes to wear their team colours outside of the athlete’s village.
Tags: