Commonwealth Games a 'No Go'?

[gsdx]

I look forward to the Commonwealth Games as much as I do the Olympic Games. This year, though, with the many, many problems India is suffering, I fear the Commonwealth Games may be a 'no go':

India battles deepening Games crisis=

2 hours, 25 minutes ago

NEW DELHI (AFP) - India struggled to keep its Commonwealth Games on track Wednesday, with England warning the event was on a "knife edge" over complaints of filthy housing and growing structural and security fears.=

Officials said Commonwealth Games Federation chief Mike Fennell was flying in Thursday for a meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to discuss the problems overwhelming the October 3-14 event in New Delhi.

The latest high-profile withdrawals include the English Olympic 400m gold medallist Christine Ohuruogu and world triple jump champion Phillips Idowu, with Australia warning more of its competitors might follow.

Their decisions came after complaints by some teams about the state of the athletes' village, safety fears due to the collapse of a footbridge near one of the venues and question marks over security after a gun attack on tourists.

Commonwealth Games England chairman Andrew Foster warned that the next 24-48 hours would be "critical".

"It's a situation that hangs on a knife-edge. We will not be sending our team unless we are confident," Foster said, with athletes due to begin arriving this week for an event that was meant to showcase the modern India.

Adding to the organisers' woes, a section of false ceiling fell down on Wednesday at the weightlifting venue, although there were no injuries.

Indian officials have struggled to keep a positive outlook on the event, despite the mounting concerns at home and abroad.

Full Report: http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/afp/100922/world/cgames2010_india

 

[gsdx]

CBC (our National television station) had been promoting the Games all over the place until recently. I haven't seen a promotion for quite some time. Not sure what's going to happen if the games don't go on. CBC pays big bucks to broadcast and the sell the broadcast rights to many other countries around the world. It's going to be a financial nightmare for everybody.

I can't see them going on.

 

[ozguy]

Why they allowed such a politically, socially and economically unstable country as India to stage a games of this magnitude in the first place I'll never know! I really enjoy watching the Comm Games (we always win lots of gold medals without the Yanks and Russians there! ) but I fear they're going to be disaster this time around, if they happen at all.

 

[zoltanspawn]

I love Delhi and have spent many months there.

But I'm completely unsurprised. Last time I was reading Indian newspapers, every day there was a story about the Commonwealth Games. This was years ago. The problems, the challenges, the hopes and the frequently harebrained solutions. (Did they go ahead with the proposal for widescale guest-housing in private homes??) Every day, serious concerns were being raised.

None of the issues would really be problematic for me personally, as it isn't for most people who are adapted to daily life in Delhi.

But I don't think the criticisms are uncharitable either. Public spaces in India are all too often just really crappy, even in the era of 'India Is Shining'. Did the group who decided to stage the Commonwealth Games actually visit Delhi? You know, look around and stuff? Or did they just read magazine reports about how India's economy is booming? Because it's pretty obvious Delhi faces some real challenges....

That being said, I think everyone should come together and suck it up. Making the best of a bad situation is better than giving up altogether.

 

[gsdx]

That being said, I think everyone should come together and suck it up. Making the best of a bad situation is better than giving up altogether.

Sorry, but I have great difficulty 'sucking up' collapsing bridges and ceilings.

 

[zoltanspawn]

I don't think it's a case of sucking it up Zoltan. If the workman ship on the construction is so bad that footbridge's are already collapsing and the athlete's villages are incomplete, it more screams of a huge mistake on the games committee part, giving the games to India in the first place.

Putting people's personal safety at risk isn't worth it. If the India Games Committee pitched like everyone else did - which they obviously did - and proved they had the infrastructure to pull this off, the fact that there are so many problems speaks of the fact their pitch was flawed.

The personal safety of millions of locals, athletes and tourists is what should be considered here, and I don't believe the Games organisers can vouch for that.

If everyday Indian standards (including those for personal safety) aren't good enough for others, I would think the Games' organizers should have recognized that years ago.

It seems a little late to be surprised by questions of hygiene and security now.

Is Delhi to blame for being Delhi? Or the Games' organizers for wearing rose-colored glasses? I will say, both.

 

[zoltanspawn]

Sorry, but I have great difficulty 'sucking up' collapsing bridges and ceilings.

I imagine most people would avoid them given the choice.

 

[gsdx]

It seems a little late to be surprised by questions of hygiene and security now.

That was before things started falling down. I'm sure squatting over a hole in the floor to take a crap is the last thing on the athletes' minds now. I's sure they're more concerned with their physical safety now.

 

[zoltanspawn]

That was before things started falling down. I'm sure squatting over a hole in the floor to take a crap is the last thing on the athletes' minds now. I's sure they're more concerned with their physical safety now.

I truly love Delhi. It has qualities I adore, qualities to emulate, amazing character and is incredibly vivacious.

But safety has ALWAYS been an issue, and frankly an obvious one.

 

[Corny]

a few pictures ..

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/commonwealth_games/delhi_2010/9025907.stm

 

[Ram]

Why they allowed such a politically, socially and economically unstable country as India to stage a games of this magnitude in the first place I'll never know! I really enjoy watching the Comm Games (we always win lots of gold medals without the Yanks and Russians there! ) but I fear they're going to be disaster this time around, if they happen at all.

How is India politically and economically unstable (faring the economic downturn far better than most nations)? Socially unstable, that I get...

The whole thing is a complete disaster. The money could have been put to better use like helping the poor. I don't get why India even bother with this even? I mean, it's not even a sporting powerhouse. A complete waste of money. India's pride is often misplaced and overinflated. This would be a great wake up call.

 

[Callum]

I do not see why India was even given the games. Sure, maybe 5-10 years from now...but in its current state it is in no shape to hold these games.

Should have been given to Australia or another fully developed nation (unlike India which is emerging, of course).

 

[gsdx]

a few pictures ..

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/commonwealth_games/delhi_2010/9025907.stm

There are hints about what it might have looked like were it finished, but it looks as though the athletes will be living in a construction zone.

A report this morning on my homepage announced that the Canadian archery team has dropped out of the games. The venues appear to be in place and are, apparently, quite spectacular, but the living conditions in the athletes' village are the biggest bone of contention.

(Link includes video report) http://news.sympatico.ctv.ca/home/two_canadians_opt_out_of_commonwealth_games/af84c03d

 

[TriBi]

From tonight's news - things are not looking good - there are now about 8 nations delaying team departures and making rumblings about 'guarantees' or they will not attend...

 

[Yooper]

The BBC said England IS sending their team.

(I was listening to the BBC World Service on the way home from work. Yes, I still listen to radio. )

 

[Corny]

this is awesome

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ge-tRUdezak[/ame]

 

[braex27]

^ The word "monkeys" was used far far too many times during that one minute segment.

 

[Corny]

๏̯͡๏ ๏̯͡๏ ๏̯͡๏

 

[SLOPPYSECONDS]

world ofs a sport like many worlds dip past times when obvious crawl da planet still is a vommit

any sportin evnet world ova lots no give shit watch or know ya

that all

cue anime da sun is free coor

 

[bulge]

world ofs a sport like many worlds dip past times when obvious crawl da planet still is a vommit

any sportin evnet world ova lots no give shit watch or know ya

that all

cue anime da sun is free coor

I couldn't agree more.