The Hindu : Sport : CGF chief guarded about moving venues out of Delhi

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Wednesday, Feb 09, 2005

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Sport - Sports : General

CGF chief guarded about moving venues out of Delhi

By Our Sports Reporter

NEW DELHI, FEB. 8. The president of the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF), Michael Fennell, on Tuesday said that any proposal to move sports venues for the 2010 Games out of Delhi would require the approval of the CGF General Assembly.

Mr. Fennel was answering questions related to recent proposals to shift a few venues to Noida. There had even been a suggestion that some of the events could be held in Bangalore as well.

Mr. Fennell said that any modification to what had been mentioned in New Delhi's bid document would need to be passed by the CGF General Assembly

The CGF president, addressing a press conference at the end of his meetings with various authorities, reminded the IOA that it was up to it to deliver the Games. "They were the ones who bid for the Games and won it," he said.

Though the IOA was a year behind schedule in putting up various committees, Mr. Fennel said there was enough time to catch up with the exercise.

One of the most important and immediate requirements had been met by the formation of the Executive Board of the Organising Committee, headed by the IOA president, Suresh Kalmadi. The IOA secretary-general, Randhir Singh, who is also the International Olympic Committee (IOC) member in India, will be the vice-chairman. Mr. Lalit Bhanot of the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) will be the secretary-general and Mr. A.K. Mattoo the treasurer.

Area of concern

Mr. Fennell, who combined a private visit to the city with an official CGF exercise of assessing New Delhi's preparations, said that the major area of concern was the Games village. He expected the IOA to present a full report on how it was planning to make one before the CGF General Assembly in Melbourne, scheduled in the first week of April this year. The `village' has been planned across the Yamuna, near the Akshardham Temple Complex.

"There is no question of taking any discipline to Bangalore as some media reports suggested,'' said the Mr. Kalmadi. The Union Sports Minister, Sunil Dutt, had been quoted as saying that Bangalore stood a good chance of hosting a few disciplines.

The immediate task for the IOA would be to appraise the respective international sports federations about the venues earmarked for the Commonwealth Games. "I hope this exercise would be completed in time before the General Assembly and Executive Board meeting of the CGF,'' said Mr. Fennell.

The CGF President said that when he arrived here there was an atmosphere of concern but "I hope I have been able to sort it out somewhat". He said that he received satisfactory explanations during the meetings with the Group of Ministers and the officials of the Delhi Government during past two days. He had also met the Union Sports Minister.

Lasting legacy

Mr. Fennell said the Games would leave a legacy for the city like the 2004 Olympic Games had done to Athens. For it to happen, there had to be a clear understanding between the various stakeholders of the 2010 Games, he said referring to the Group of Ministers, the Apex Committee and the Organising Committee.

As regards sports disciplines for the 2010 Games, Mr. Fennell said that besides the compulsory sports (athletics, swimming, netball, lawn bowling and rugby sevens), the IOA would be free to pick another ten disciplines from the optional sports.

Mr. Kalmadi said that the international federations governing cricket, basketball, archery and tennis had approached the IOA. He said New Delhi would be eager to host cricket as there was a big following for the game in India, but it would depend on the International Cricket Council (ICC) assuring participation of top players. "We don't want the kind of situation that Kuala Lumpur faced in 1998,'' he said.

Having put in place the 15-member Executive Board of the New Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games Organising Committee, Mr. Kalmadi said that the real countdown for the Games would begin during the closing ceremony of the 2006 Melbourne Games.

"We have planned a cultural extravaganza to showcase New Delhi when the CGF flag would be handed over to the IOA in Melbourne,'' said Mr. Kalmadi.

The Executive Board of the 2010 Games Organising Committee will include Mr. Fennel, Mr. Tunku Imran of Malaysia and Mr. Mike Hooper, CGF CEO, as CGF representatives. Mr. V.K Malhotra (archery), Mr. H.J. Dora (weightlifting), Mr. Digvijay Singh (shooting) and Mr. V.D. Nanavati (swimming) are the representatives from the Indian federations. The Union Government nominees are Mr. Naveen Jindal, MP, and Mr. S. Krishnan, Joint Secretary, Sports Ministry. The Delhi Government would be represented by Mr. S. Regunathan, Chief Secretary, and Mr. O.P. Kelkar, Principal Secretary, Urban Development.

Mr. K.P. Singh Deo will head the Games Technical Conduct Committee. Former Secretary, Union Sports Ministry, Mr. Rajiva Srivastava will be the Director-General of the Games Secretariat.

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