Commonwealth Games head backs Delhi safety plans 17/03/2009 |
|
| |
| |
Security planning for the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi is on track and concerns that safety fears could scupper the event are premature, the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) said Monday.
CGF Chief Executive Mike Hooper played down comments by Australian Commonwealth Games Association CEO Perry Crosswhite that the games could be scrapped if security was in doubt.
Security around the Games, due to be held from October 3-14, has come under scrutiny after an attack in Mumbai in November that killed at least 171 people and a recent attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in Pakistan.
"At the moment our assessment is security planning is on track, reflective and cognizant of current events," Hooper told Reuters in an interview.
Hooper did not believe the events in Lahore would spark similar attacks on sports figures.
"These attacks happen, any major event potentially is a target whether it's a sporting event, government meeting, conference or whatever, involving international people gathering at one place," he added.
"I don't think (it is) necessarily a sign what has happened in Lahore all of a sudden we are going to see a whole lot of attacks targeting sports people."
APPROPRIATE ADVICE
Crosswhite raised serious doubts about the Games and suggested they could be scrapped if a security assessment a month from the start deemed them unsafe to proceed.
Hooper spoke to Crosswhite Monday and said the official denied Australia was contemplating pulling out or sending its own security officials.
"He did not say they were looking to withdraw from the Games. He did not say they were going to bring their own security or going to have urgent talks in the next two weeks with their government officials.
"Like all countries you take advice from your own security agencies and advisors. They also look to us for appropriate advice."
Hooper, who has been based in New Delhi for several months to oversee the Games build-up, said the organisers and Indian authorities were determined to deliver a safe event.
"Certainly all indications and commitments given to us and the planning processes that our advisors have been involved in would indicate that will happen.
"Clearly how that will manifest itself in 20 months' time, we can only speculate."
(Source: Reuters)
|
| Back |
| |
| |
|
|
 |
Advertisement
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
