With over a week to go before the start of the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, there has been disaster after disaster. For example, the bridge connecting the village collapsed then one of the arenas caved in. Added to that is the fact that many of the venues are unfinished, and most of the living quarters are substandard.
With the Organizing Committee making the mistake of having the Games in October, this has resulted in top athletes like Usain ‘Lightning’ Bolt, the triple Olympic and World Championship gold and world record holder being on the list of absentees. One has to wonder with monsoon rains and the threat of dengue fever on the alert what is on the mind of the organizers. We know that hundreds of millions of dollars have been invested in the Games, but who had the oversight on the projects. Most of the venues had major cost overruns, indicating the kind of problems faced in India.
Another worrying factor has been the food on offer at the Games; it has been nothing short of pathetic based on reports. The British team has not even bothered to stay in the Village due to the poor standards. The Canadian team has left for the Games and it’s a pity, and we all hope that they will be safe. The fact is terrorism is also a major threat for our athletes. They have intensified security around the venue, but based on the lack of professionalism demonstrated so far, one only has to hope for the best.
Most countries have decided to go ahead with their plans of being at the Games, but this cannot be an easy decision for these athletes. When one considers the many negative factors so far, it has truly become a nightmare.
It is clear that the host country was just not ready for an event of this magnitude. For something like this, there is no time for trial and error, and someone should be held accountable for this debacle. Heads should roll at all levels, especially at the top.
The eyes of the world are now focused on these Games and the several athletes which are taking grave risks to be there.
We hope that the Canadian camp will ensure that they provide their own security and carefully look at the needs of the athletes. One cannot depend on the host country in this case; they are overwhelmed by so many issues, that it will be miracle if they get all the venues ready. One thing that is obvious is that the venues may not be at a world class level.
One thing that is sure is that the Commonwealth Games 2010 will go down as the worst in history. The nightmare has started and it will take years for everyone to wake from this one.
With the Organizing Committee making the mistake of having the Games in October, this has resulted in top athletes like Usain ‘Lightning’ Bolt, the triple Olympic and World Championship gold and world record holder being on the list of absentees. One has to wonder with monsoon rains and the threat of dengue fever on the alert what is on the mind of the organizers. We know that hundreds of millions of dollars have been invested in the Games, but who had the oversight on the projects. Most of the venues had major cost overruns, indicating the kind of problems faced in India.
Another worrying factor has been the food on offer at the Games; it has been nothing short of pathetic based on reports. The British team has not even bothered to stay in the Village due to the poor standards. The Canadian team has left for the Games and it’s a pity, and we all hope that they will be safe. The fact is terrorism is also a major threat for our athletes. They have intensified security around the venue, but based on the lack of professionalism demonstrated so far, one only has to hope for the best.
Most countries have decided to go ahead with their plans of being at the Games, but this cannot be an easy decision for these athletes. When one considers the many negative factors so far, it has truly become a nightmare.
It is clear that the host country was just not ready for an event of this magnitude. For something like this, there is no time for trial and error, and someone should be held accountable for this debacle. Heads should roll at all levels, especially at the top.
The eyes of the world are now focused on these Games and the several athletes which are taking grave risks to be there.
We hope that the Canadian camp will ensure that they provide their own security and carefully look at the needs of the athletes. One cannot depend on the host country in this case; they are overwhelmed by so many issues, that it will be miracle if they get all the venues ready. One thing that is obvious is that the venues may not be at a world class level.
One thing that is sure is that the Commonwealth Games 2010 will go down as the worst in history. The nightmare has started and it will take years for everyone to wake from this one.
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