pre-Commonwealth Games news

[CLELY]

Badminton, TT venues for Commonwealth Games gets nod

STAFF WRITER 18:43 HRS IST

New Delhi, June 16 (PTI) After months of delay, venues for badminton and table tennis for the Commonwealth Games have finally got the green signal from Delhi Urban Arts Commission (DUAC).

The fate of the badminton and squash courts and table tennis arena at Siri Fort Sports Complex and Yamuna Sports Complex respectively was lying in limbo for last several months in the absence of requisite nod after the DDA failed to comply with norms.

"The revised proposal (regarding stadium for badminton and squash competition at Sri Fort) was found acceptable with the observation that no trees should be cut," a member of the Commission said.

For YSC venue, the DUAC has asked the project proponent to define the pedestrian movement for spectators as well ensuring a pedestrian plaza at the spectator entry.

*source : http://www.ptinews.com/news/720577_B...Games-gets-nod

[limsy]

“It would have been nice to have had access to the venues earlier and we made no secret of that,” said Commonwealth Games Federation chief executive Mike Hooper.
“But the basic requirement of venue construction needed by June 30 has now been achieved. Maybe just a week more is needed.”
Hooper has endured a rocky relationship with the Indian hosts, who last October demanded he be sacked, but he welcomed recent progress after years of delays and setbacks.
“We are pretty impressed with the work done over the last few months,” he said.
“We gave brickbats when they were deserved, so perhaps it is time to give a bouquet.”
We have everything under control,” she said. “The rains in Delhi are not as heavy as in other parts of the country. There is no need to panic.” – AFP

http://thestar.com.my/sports/story.a...310&sec=sports

[limsy]

"Athletes should just concentrate on their training and leave issues of security to us because if there was any security issue, Wisma Putra would advise us," he said.
"Thus far we have not received any advise or warning from New Delhi for the Commonwealth Games (on Oct 3-14).

"However, we will monitor the situation in New Delhi, especially issues of security, through the Malaysian High Commission there but so far everything is fine," he said yesterday.

The security alarm was raised following reports that the Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF), a Sikh separatist group, may cause problems during the Games.

Abdul Halil said two National Sports Council (NSC) officers are in New Delhi to attend a seminar on safety during the Games and to gather latest information of the situation there.

Meanwhile, chairman of the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee, Suresh Kalmadi when commenting on the latest security issue related to KLF said: "All is well in New Delhi."

"Security is a critical component for the success of the Games. The Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India and the Delhi Police will ensure that the Games are held in a safe and secure environment, not only at all the competition and non-competition venues, but throughout the length and breadth of the city of Delhi," he said on the official Commonwealth Games website, yesterday.



http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/50secc/Article

[george@chongwei]

Oh.. this is not good at all.

COMMONWEALTH GAMES - Badminton venue not ready according to local press

http://www.badzine.info/index.php/ne...cal-press.html

[ctjcad]

..will they cancel the badminton event if the venue is not ready by then??..

[george@chongwei]

Or maybe they will change to another venue..

[limsy]

"It is something which is very disturbing and we do feel that the matter needs urgent attention by Indian authorities," Fennell told local television NDTV.

http://thestar.com.my/sports/story.a...552&sec=sports

[ctjcad]

..where is your friend, avataar, limsy??..he hasn't been on BC for a while..maybe he has some more insights to what's really going on behind the scene??..

[limsy]

Although the CGF supported the appointment of Fast Track, it strongly refutes any inference that it interfered in the selection process," Hooper told reporters.

Hooper said they never dictated a choice to the Indian organisers.

The Games have already been mired in corruption scandals.
Earlier this month two top Indian officials were fired amid corruption allegations involving the Queen's Baton Relay in London.

India's Central Vigilance Commission has also issued a report highlighting concerns regarding building practices and potential problems surrounding the certification of work on Games sites.

The Indian Organising Committee has been under pressure for more than a year since it became apparent that construction delays meant none of the Games venues would be finished before deadline.

With infrastructure projects around the city also well behind schedule, the Indian capital is in a race against time to be ready to host the Oct 3-14 Commonwealth Games -- the biggest sporting event here since the 1982 Asian Games. -- AP
http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/29AKSDF/Article

[limsy]

"The successful organisation of the Commonwealth Games would be another signal to the world that India is rapidly marching ahead with confidence," Manmohan Singh said in his annual Independence Day address.

The Games, which open in the Indian capital on Oct 3, will be a "proud moment" said Manmohan, adding that no stone would be left unturned "to make it a success."

On Saturday, Manmohan gave "overriding powers" to a panel of government secretaries to take over management of the preparation work with just 50 days to go.

The move was seen as a direct slight to the chairman of the Games organising committee, Suresh Kalmadi, who has faced increasingly vocal calls to resign amid the scandals swirling around the event.

Kalmadi, who has denied any wrongdoing and refused to step down, is a senior leader of Manmohan's ruling Congress party.

"The committee of secretaries will review implementation and it will have jurisdiction over matters relating to the organising committee," a statement from the prime minister's office said on Saturday.

"The prime minister further directed concerned ministries to conduct thorough investigations into all the complaints that have been received of procedural and other irregularities," it said.

"He said that those found guilty should face severe and exemplary punishment."
http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/36hdy/Article

[limsy]

“It is the media’s job to highlight deficiencies, but the impression that the Games are nothing but loot is not correct,” Dikshit told the Kolkata-based Telegraph newspaper yesterday.
“Over 90% of work is over. The delays are part of such large preparations. It was seen in China, in Greece and elsewhere. I can assure people that Delhi will be a much better place after the Games.”
Top Commonwealth sports stars like athletes Usain Bolt and Asafa Powell, tennis stars Lleyton Hewitt and Samantha Stosur, and ace cyclist Chris Hoy, have decided to skip the Games. — AFP
http://thestar.com.my/sports/story.a...114&sec=sports


today and yesterday have more than 16 badminton news in just 2 newspaper
i was lazy to post
sorry ==

[limsy]

NEW DELHI: India's sports chiefs said yesterday they were shocked at the growing number of dope offenders ahead of next month's Commonwealth Games.

Four wrestlers, a shot-putter and two swimmers who were all part of India's Games squad have tested positive in recent days for methylhexaneamine, a banned stimulant used widely as a nasal decongestant.

Four others, who were not picked for the Oct 3-14 Games in the Indian capital, also failed drug tests conducted at the various training camps across the country.


"This is very unfortunate and brings the country a bad name," said Games spokesman Lalit Bhanot.

"The government has a zero-tolerance policy towards this."

Officials said they were surprised that the 11 athletes all tested positive for the same drug, which was included in the prohibited list of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) earlier this year.


"The training camps were not held at the same place," said Rahul Bhatnagar, who heads India's National Anti-Doping Agency. "But the authenticity of our testing methods cannot be questioned.

"We have a few more results to come in yet."

Two female swimmers, Richa Mishra and Jyotsna Pansare, tested positive on Sunday, two days after three male wrestlers, Rajiv Tomar, Sumit Kumar and Masuam Khatri, female wrestler Gursharanpreet Kaur and male shot-putter Saurav Vij were suspended, pending tests of their 'B' samples.


All seven were due to compete in the Games.

Richa, the best female swimmer at the recent national aquatics championships after winning three individual gold medals, denied any wrongdoing.

"I have been tested several times before in my career and have always returned negative," she told the Indian Express newspaper.

"In fact, my father is even willing to spend money to get the test done from a different laboratory abroad."

Doping has afflicted Indian sport over the last decade with weightlifters being the chief culprits.

The Indian weightlifting federation was fined US$500,000 by the world governing body after six lifters failed dope tests last year.

The federation managed to pay only US$125,000 and was forced to take an interest-free loan from Games organisers to pay the rest of the fine and ensure its participation in Delhi 2010.



http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/32gamestun/Article

[cobalt]

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/1...ridge_collapse

NEW DELHI - A footbridge under construction near the Commonwealth Games main stadium in India's capital collapsed Tuesday, injuring at least 23 construction workers and throwing further doubt on the viability of next month's games.

The injured people, five of them in serious condition, were taken to hospitals, police officer H.G.S. Dhaliwal said.

The overhead bridge was to connect a parking lot with the main Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, which is to host opening and closing ceremonies as well as showpiece athletic events for the Oct. 3-14 games.

However, severe delays in the completion of the athletes' village have thrown the sporting event into jeopardy. Canada, New Zealand, Scotland and Ireland have described the accommodations as "unlivable," and the New Zealand delegation said Tuesday the village won't be ready for its official opening this week.

New Zealand team manager Dave Currie told radio network newstalkZB that New Delhi organizers "are in severe difficulties," identifying problems with cleanliness, plumbing, electrical wiring, Internet access and mobile phone coverage.

[cobalt]

[Sealman]

CommGames in jeopardy with less than 2 weeks to go
http://sg.news.yahoo.com/ap/20100921...d-6e81073.html

C'wealth Games event in crisis as bridge collapses
http://sg.news.yahoo.com/afp/2010092...a-5bb9277.html

[george@chongwei]

So many problems in this time CWG..

[ctjcad]

..the badminton hall looks ready to host the event..avataar & the organizer must be up hard at work trying to put everything ready..