Delhi’s unpaid bills will hurt Indian Olympic bid – claim 30/11/2010 |
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India should not be allowed to bid for the Olympics because it has failed to pay millions of dollars to foreign firms involved in last month's Commonwealth Games in Delhi.
That is the view of the executive producer of the opening ceremony Ric Birch, who says his company, Spectak Productions, is owed 15 per cent of its fees for creative direction, choreography, and design, which the Delhi organisers have so far allegedly refused to pay.
Spectak, which is based in Sydney and Los Angeles, is one of several foreign firms involved in the Games still apparently waiting for payment for the services it provided.
Birch, who has worked with the International Olympic Committee on Games stretching back to Los Angeles in 1984, believes fears in India about being accused of corruption are causing the situation.
"Every single detail, every single word – its meaning, definition, its possible connotation – of every document and contract is being minutely examined, checked, double-checked and triple-checked to ensure that no one can be accused of a transgression," he said.
"People are scared that if they clear a bill, say, of an Australian contractor, they will be accused by the media of 'siphoning' money off to an Australian.
"The media have made such crazy and wild allegations that no one wants to take any chances."
But Birch thinks the situation is already damaging Delhi's proposed bid for the 2020 Olympics.
"Certainly this type of behaviour makes it extremely unlikely that any of the international suppliers, consultants and contractors involved in Delhi 2010 would in any way support or endorse any future attempt by India to host the Olympic Games, should India decide to make a bid," he added.
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