Delhi 2010 loses two sponsors in latest blow 20/08/2010 |
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Two companies have withdrawn their sponsorship of the Delhi Commonwealth Games because of the “negative publicity” surrounding the event.
India’s biggest power producer, NTPC Ltd, has decided to scrap its 500m rupee (£7m pounds) sponsorship deal and is seeking an audit of the 200m rupees it has already paid. Power Grid Corp of India is also backing out of its 100m rupee commitment to the Games.
Both are state-run companies, which have been the main backers of the event with private companies largely staying away.
Delhi 2010 has been hit by allegations of corruption, which have led to the suspension of several senior officials, while organisers have struggled to get venues ready before athletes start arriving for the October 3-14 Games next month. There have also been fears over the security situation in the country.
NTPC chairman and managing director R. S. Sharma told Reuters: "Our board has decided not to go ahead with the sponsorship because of the negative publicity.”
The event is threatening to become a national embarrassment for India and could ruin its plans to bid for a future Olympic Games.
But Delhi 2010 has won the backing of International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge, who claimed the media was to blame for much of the negativity.
"I’m optimistic in spite of everything that is being written by a pessimistic media for the Commonwealth Games,” he said. “They will show the capacity of India to organise a great Games."
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