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Media Release - 16th September 2009
Recent reports that Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games is severely behind schedule.

The Officers and members of the Commonwealth Games Association of Jersey have been following the progress of the Organising Committee of the Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games with interest and concern since the closing ceremony of the last Games in Melbourne in March 2006.

Although there have been concerns with regard to security issues and to the scheduling for the completion of sports venues and the Games Village in time for the Opening Ceremony of the Delhi Games on 3rd October 2010, the most recent reports both in yesterday’s Jersey Evening Post entitled ‘Delhi; Alarm bells ringing’ and The Times entitled ‘Only a year to run – and Delhi is losing race to host Games’, focus on concerns related to operational preparations. Such is the concern for poor communication between the main operational committees that the Commonwealth Games Federation’s President, Mike Fennell, is demanding a meeting with India’s Prime Minister. 

From a Jersey perspective, we are being kept well informed of the preparations for the 2010 Games from many unbiased sources including the CGF’s Chief Executive Officer, Mike Hooper, who has been based in Delhi for the past few years; and via reports from delegations from England, Australia and other Commonwealth Countries that have arranged inspection visits and meetings with key officers from the Delhi Organising Committee.  Although these reports have expressed some concern on issues of security during the period of the Games and of delays in the building programmes of certain venues, the general view would appear to be that, with continue hard work and the absence of any further delays, all will be in place for an excellent Games.  However, the latest reports from both Mike Fennell and from the Indian Olympic Association Secretary, Randhir Singh, cause greater concern.

While it is well understood that India must host an excellent Commonwealth Games if they ever hope to be successful in their proposed bid for a future Olympics, there is the worry that despite a severe reprimand by the CGF Chief, Mike Fennell at last year’s General Assembly in The Gambia, the Delhi Organising Committee under the leadership of Suresh Kalmadi, are not heeding these warnings.

Alan Cross, Jersey’s Commonwealth Games Secretary General, will be visiting Delhi next month as a delegate at the CGF’s Annual General Assembly. He will have the opportunity of visiting all sports venues and the site of the Games Village in addition to attending meetings where reports from Mr. Kalmadi and his fellow officers will be presented. Hopefully, Mike Fennell will also be able to report back at that time on the outcome of his meeting with India’s Prime Minister. In March of next year, Jersey’s General Team Manager for the Delhi Games, Paul Huddlestone, and his assistant Paul Du Feu, will also be visiting Delhi.  At the time of their visit, they will expect to see many sports venues in place and ready for test events.