New Delhi Commonwealth Games in doubt
Collapse of bridge adds to fears that sports facilities will not be ready in time.
By Alaric Gomes, Senior Reporter Published: 00:00 September 22, 2010
'Indian security personnel stand guard in front of a collapsed pedestrian bridge outside the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi September 21, 2010Image Credit: Reuters'
Dubai: The collapse of a footbridge near the main venue of the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on Tuesday, which injured 27 people, is only the latest in a series of events that have thrown the build-up to the Commonwealth Games in complete disarray.
It was a nightmarish day for the organisers, with Commonwealth Games Federation President Michael Fennell saying the Games village was "still not fit for accommodation", a view that was echoed by contingents from New Zealand, Scotland, Canada and Ireland. A senior New Zealand delegate even suggested that the Games "may not happen".
"The problems are arising because deadlines for the completion of the village have been consistently pushed out. Now, the high security around the site, while vital, is slowing progress and complicating solutions," Fennell added in a statement.
Meanwhile, New Zealand team manager Dave Currie told radio network newstalkZB that New Delhi organisers "are in severe difficulties", identifying problems with cleanliness, plumbing, electrical wiring, internet access and mobile phone coverage.
The New Zealand delegate went to the extent of saying that the event may not go ahead as only 18 of 34 residential towers at the village have been completed. "If the village is not ready and athletes can't come, obviously the implications of that are that [the event] is not going to happen," Currie said.
Currie's fears were echoed by Australia's chef de mission, retired marathon runner Steve Moneghetti, after he held talks with Australian Commonwealth Games Association chief executive Perry Crosswhite, who had checked into the village.
Moneghetti told reporters in Melbourne that Indian organisers "have got two days to do what's probably going to take about two weeks".
The delays in construction have been overshadowed recently by safety concerns, heightened last weekend after two unidentified gunmen shot and wounded two tourists near the Jama Masjid.
The opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games is scheduled to take place at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on October 3.
Why should the people support a corrupt commitee? Hope this will lead to a major clean up.
Good thing that accident happened before games.
in times like this - what the country's need is the full support from their citizens...
help one another... stop blaming... stop finding faults... just give an opinion/s or suggestion/s to get back on the track...
Catch the news of recent collapse in less than 24hrs here:
http://sports.in.msn.com/othersports/article.aspx?cp-documentid=4410883
can't get much worse :-)
from acutally from Al Qeeda or ISI or may be Kashmir freedom fighter militants ... LOL
I am expecting these news from the media now...
Barely 24 hours after the foot overbridge collapsed near the main Jawaharlal Nehru stadium, a false ceiling has collapsed near the weightlifting arena inside the main stadium...
We're going DOWN!!! :-(
Speed, no need to be sorry...This is a bitter fact which we all know..
they do their dirty business from jails. Sorry to say yours and ours Police (who are supposed to be our guardians) are the most corrupted criminals.
have given results to India. Shame...
Those involved in the corruptions should he hanged !
Abu salem and few others are still enjoying in our JAILS, do you guys really think that the CORRUPT POLITICIANS will be hanged??? :))
Not even possible in our dreams..
exactly speed. Those B@stards in the Central are all thieves.
that Delhi is actually one of the better metropolitans :-O
we really have to pull up our socks when it comes to infrastructure, learn a thing or two from the Chinese
I blame the Indian 'Chalta hai' attitude
Imagine if this would have happened at the time of opening ceremony.
Its shameful that these corrupt people betray India and its citizens. I was in Delhi in April and I was surprised how helpful and nice people were considering its such a large chaotic city.
Its time to callback commonwealth game.
The participating countries are requested to withdraw one by one.
Its a shame on us......Corruption everwhere.
From what I read its just the culmination of the inherent corruption. Its a shame that people line their pockets at the expense of national pride and wellbeing of others. They have brought shame on India.
serious..
the concerns should put to task..
this is sad!!!