Australia reassured on Delhi Commonwealth Games security 21/05/2009 |
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Australia has played down security concerns for next year's Commonwealth Games in Delhi, saying local organisers had shown they were capable of ensuring athletes' safety amid instability in the region.
"As far as we're concerned, it's all go now and there's no issues with (security)," Australian Commonwealth Games Association chief executive Perry Crosswhite told Reuters on Thursday.
Security concerns have heightened in south Asia since militant attacks in Mumbai last November killed 166 people. The ambush of the Sri Lanka cricket team bus in Pakistan in March further fuelled fears that sport could be targeted in the region.
Australia had previously raised concerns about the October 2010 Games, but Crosswhite said a recent visit had reassured him.
"I was much more impressed this time (with security) than I ever have been previously," Crosswhite said. "They've actually put in place one body that's going to control security and that wasn't the case previously, and that's the Delhi police.
"The Delhi police are in the process of hiring 8,000 additional police officers ... They're also bringing in Games lanes between the venues and the Village and they're going to secure those ... None of that existed previously."
Indian Games organisers said Monday they had their work cut out to convince national Commonwealth Games Associations the Games would be safe, but have pledged to provide security on a par with last year's Beijing Olympics.
New Zealand's chef de mission Dave Currie told website Inside The Games (www.insidethegames.com) Thursday that New Zealand would not send athletes if Indian organisers and the Commonwealth Games Federation deemed it unsafe.
Crosswhite said that while Australia was still monitoring the situation and would take action if required, he fully backed India holding the Games.
"I would be very concerned if the Games were not held in Delhi ... It would be a shame for Indian youth that would be encouraged to be involved in sport," he said.
"Everything's promising, but at the end of the day it's going to be whether all these things are put into place."
(Source: Reuters)
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