Welcome to the Con Games

THE Comm Games have become the Con Games. We were promised world-class facilities but, 11 days from the opening ceremony, five of the 17 arenas remain unfinished. The rest leak.

We were promised a country "rich in culture and history" but won't see a whiff of marble and ivory through the clouds of dengue-ridden mosquitoes, which are so thick they will hide the rubble of half-completed improvements left unfinished.

We were promised the best athletes in the Commonwealth but, strangely, many of them have pulled out through injury or a clash in scheduling. Example one: Usain Bolt.

We were promised a safe Games but this week two tourists were shot in a tourist bus. The good news, according to intelligence reports, is that the group claiming responsibility is considered a minor terrorist group that is poorly organised. Which means the major terrorist groups, who are wonderfully organised, are yet to make their statement.

India has failed on all levels.

Yesterday New Zealand arrived at the athletes village to begin preparing their stay.

The floors were covered in faeces. The Kiwis demanded new facilities and received them, which only means that some other poor saps are going to receive those rooms intended for the Kiwis.

New Zealand chef de mission Dave Currie doubts the Games are ready to go ahead.

"I think they are in severe difficulties ... it's going to be extremely hard to get across the line," Currie told New Zealand radio yesterday.

The New Zealanders have been speaking to the Australians who, despite their best efforts to declare the Games must go on, are seriously concerned.

Australian Commonwealth Games Association (ACGA) president Perry Crosswhite spoke to Australian chef de mission Steve Moneghetti yesterday.

"When I spoke to Perry yesterday he said there were some furnishings, some problems with the information technology that he was concerned about," Moneghetti said.

"But he didn't seem that concerned about the overall condition of the village itself."

Moneghetti said Indian organisers have "two days to do what's probably going to take about two weeks" to bring the venues up to standard. The Commonwealth Games Federation has also expressed concerns.

"Many nations that have already sent their advanced parties to set up within the village have made it abundantly clear that ... the Commonwealth Games village is seriously compromised," president Mike Fennell said.

Preparations are so poor and, potentially, so dangerous, many wonder why go at all?

For one, the wording of all Government warnings has changed. In all previous major events the concerned body has said that, after taking advice from the Australian Government, it believes it is safe for Australians to travel.

This time athletes are being told the decision is up to them.

A small change in wording but, in a wrongful death suit, it could mean all the difference.

Privately, the Government or the ACGA cannot risk offending the Indian Government by boycotting, despite the five-bell alarms ringing in their ears.

The tense political atmosphere between Australia and India - following a spate of Indian student bashings in Melbourne a few months ago - strained relations.

A boycott would shatter what remains, although the Government will not confirm publicly.

The Games in India were always a political move to appease the Asian countries, and particularly the economic might of India, given the only other Asian nation to host a Commonwealth Games was Kuala Lumpur in 1998. (from Aussie Telegraph)

Sounds like it could turn out to be a disaster..

a damned disgrace..maybe these third world countries should concentrate their funds on providing clean water and decent living standards for the people who live there instead of trying to put on the commowealth games .

...... and sanitation?





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A footbridge under construction near the Commonwealth Games main stadium in New Delhi has collapsed injuring at least 23 people. Five of the injured are said to be in a serious condition.

The overhead bridge was to connect the car park with the main Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.


Link to BBC news : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Df9psjmV7Yg

Breakfast news shows a lot of construction and building sites with no hope of the building being ready in time! Looks like it will be a complete embarrassment for the government....and a real let down for all of the athletes who have trained for these Commonwealth Games.....



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