BackCommon Wealth Games chief backs Delhi preparations
Common Wealth Games chief backs Delhi preparations
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New Delhi: The head of the Commonwealth Games complimented Delhi, the host of next year’s event, on recent progress made in preparations but added that deadlines still appeared to be tight.
Commonwealth Games Federation president Mike Fennell, who met Indian officials and ministers on Tuesday, said he was satisfied with the work now being put in by city authorities.
“The organising committee is moving on the right path. One is never satisfied till the work has been finished, but overall I got the feeling that things are under control," Fennell told reporters.
“Concerns over deadlines and schedules remain, but I was satisfied to see that the government has paid a lot of attention to the preparations. They have made a good progress."
His comments came a few weeks after the Indian sports ministry conceded that only five of the 17 venues for training and competition were more than 50% complete.
The Games, India’s biggest event since the 1982 Asian Games, are scheduled for3-14 October.
Organising committee chairman Suresh Kalmadi said 90% of the stadiums would be ready by December and the remaining two stadiums would be completed in March 2010.
Fennell also expressed support for security arrangements being made for the event.
“We have 71 countries participating in the Games, so security is a major concern. We have met the local authorities and officials from the ,ministry of home affairs and were assured of full support," he said.
Security became a major issue after last year’s terrorist attack on India’s financial capital Mumbai and on the Sri Lankan cricket team in the Pakistani city of Lahore in March.
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