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What does this sort of news say about India?
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thousands of flushed condoms threaten to choke the drainage system
THIS IS NOT AH NEH fault for once, the condom choking drainage.
NEW DELHI - An urgent enquiry was ordered on Thursday into whether the Commonwealth Games swimming pool was responsible for a rash of "Delhi Belly" stomach complaints among swimmers at the troubled event.
Reports in the British media said dozens of swimmers had been laid low by diarrhea, another potential embarrassment to local organizers struggling to turn around the 12-day multi-sport event after a chaotic run-up.
Health and security concerns caused several athletes to pull out of the Games.
"We must handle this immediately," Games Federation chief Mike Fennell told a news conference. "If there is something that is unsafe, you can't swim in that water. We have to deal with it. It's a matter we have to deal with the greatest of urgency."
Crowds were again sparse at most of the venues but local chief organizer Suresh Kalmadi said 125,000 tickets had been sold on Wednesday and was confident that empty stands would soon be a thing of the past at the Games, which close on Oct. 14.
Allegations of corruption, shoddy construction, a filthy athletes' village, security and health concerns blighted the preparations. Transport issues, technical malfunctions and problems with food have continued the trend into the Games.
Kalmadi has taken most of the blame for the chaos and was booed at the opening ceremony while the city's chief minister Sheila Dikshit has received a boost in popularity after stepping in to clean up the village.
Dikshit was at the centre of a diplomatic row on Thursday when India summoned New Zealand's high commissioner to protest against what it said were "racial remarks" made about her in a television show.
India says a popular TV host deliberately mispronounced and ridiculed Dikshit's name, despite being told by the lead anchor that it was pronounced "Dixit."
New Zealand High Commissioner Rupert Holborow said in a statement the comments were "culturally insensitive, inappropriate and vulgar."
Back in the village, thousands of flushed condoms threaten to choke the drainage system, according to local media reports.
Distributing thousands of free condoms to athletes has been a tradition at multi-sports Games since the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.
"If that is happening, it shows that there is use of condoms and I think that is a very positive story. Athletes are being responsible," Fennell said. "We all know that encouraging safe sex is a very important thing to do."
The Ugandan chef de mission confirmed he and two of his colleagues had been injured when their car ran into security barrier, a reminder of the massive police and military operation protecting the Games.
A 100,000-strong security force has been deployed to avoid a repeat of the attack by militants that claimed more than 160 lives in Mumbai in 2008 complicated logistics.
India snared an early gold medal on the fourth day of competition as they continue their quest to finish second in the medal table with the shooting range continuing to be fruitful for the host nation.
Australia's remorseless acquisition of titles on the cycling track also continued with Megan Dunn, who won gold for the second successive day, giving an insight into the good spirit and fierce focus that exists inside the team.
"Australia has had a dream run, everyone's in high spirits. We're like a big family and everyone's bouncing off each other," she said after winning the 10km scratch race.
"After winning gold in the point's race, I got a pat on the back but they pushed me to do it again today."
The 'friendly games' is not just about the medalists, however, and local synchronized swimmer Avanti Dave received warm applause at the pool despite finishing last by some distance.
The 19-year-old marched confidently on to the platform before performing her routine to a tune from popular Bollywood movie Bhool Bhulaiyaa, sometimes struggling to get her legs clear of the water but never losing her rictus grin.
Her poor showing was not too much of a surprise as she has no proper coaching.
"I am always watching others on YouTube and learning from them," she told the Times of India. "I can't believe I'm sharing the same stage with them. I want to spread the sport to as many people as possible."
Both men's and women's 100 metres will be decided in the athletics on Thursday evening, but the absence of the top Jamaicans, including Usain Bolt and Asafa Powell, has seriously weakened the fields
THIS IS NOT AH NEH fault for once, the condom choking drainage.
NEW DELHI - An urgent enquiry was ordered on Thursday into whether the Commonwealth Games swimming pool was responsible for a rash of "Delhi Belly" stomach complaints among swimmers at the troubled event.
Reports in the British media said dozens of swimmers had been laid low by diarrhea, another potential embarrassment to local organizers struggling to turn around the 12-day multi-sport event after a chaotic run-up.
Health and security concerns caused several athletes to pull out of the Games.
"We must handle this immediately," Games Federation chief Mike Fennell told a news conference. "If there is something that is unsafe, you can't swim in that water. We have to deal with it. It's a matter we have to deal with the greatest of urgency."
Crowds were again sparse at most of the venues but local chief organizer Suresh Kalmadi said 125,000 tickets had been sold on Wednesday and was confident that empty stands would soon be a thing of the past at the Games, which close on Oct. 14.
Allegations of corruption, shoddy construction, a filthy athletes' village, security and health concerns blighted the preparations. Transport issues, technical malfunctions and problems with food have continued the trend into the Games.
Kalmadi has taken most of the blame for the chaos and was booed at the opening ceremony while the city's chief minister Sheila Dikshit has received a boost in popularity after stepping in to clean up the village.
Dikshit was at the centre of a diplomatic row on Thursday when India summoned New Zealand's high commissioner to protest against what it said were "racial remarks" made about her in a television show.
India says a popular TV host deliberately mispronounced and ridiculed Dikshit's name, despite being told by the lead anchor that it was pronounced "Dixit."
New Zealand High Commissioner Rupert Holborow said in a statement the comments were "culturally insensitive, inappropriate and vulgar."
Back in the village, thousands of flushed condoms threaten to choke the drainage system, according to local media reports.
Distributing thousands of free condoms to athletes has been a tradition at multi-sports Games since the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.
"If that is happening, it shows that there is use of condoms and I think that is a very positive story. Athletes are being responsible," Fennell said. "We all know that encouraging safe sex is a very important thing to do."
The Ugandan chef de mission confirmed he and two of his colleagues had been injured when their car ran into security barrier, a reminder of the massive police and military operation protecting the Games.
A 100,000-strong security force has been deployed to avoid a repeat of the attack by militants that claimed more than 160 lives in Mumbai in 2008 complicated logistics.
India snared an early gold medal on the fourth day of competition as they continue their quest to finish second in the medal table with the shooting range continuing to be fruitful for the host nation.
Australia's remorseless acquisition of titles on the cycling track also continued with Megan Dunn, who won gold for the second successive day, giving an insight into the good spirit and fierce focus that exists inside the team.
"Australia has had a dream run, everyone's in high spirits. We're like a big family and everyone's bouncing off each other," she said after winning the 10km scratch race.
"After winning gold in the point's race, I got a pat on the back but they pushed me to do it again today."
The 'friendly games' is not just about the medalists, however, and local synchronized swimmer Avanti Dave received warm applause at the pool despite finishing last by some distance.
The 19-year-old marched confidently on to the platform before performing her routine to a tune from popular Bollywood movie Bhool Bhulaiyaa, sometimes struggling to get her legs clear of the water but never losing her rictus grin.
Her poor showing was not too much of a surprise as she has no proper coaching.
"I am always watching others on YouTube and learning from them," she told the Times of India. "I can't believe I'm sharing the same stage with them. I want to spread the sport to as many people as possible."
Both men's and women's 100 metres will be decided in the athletics on Thursday evening, but the absence of the top Jamaicans, including Usain Bolt and Asafa Powell, has seriously weakened the fields
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New Delhi’s Potemkin village
A team of workmen visited a community of poor families outside of New Delhi on the evening before the Commonwealth Games' opening day. They carried enough metal poles and plastic sheets to repair every one of the ramshackle tents clustered on the windy hill, overlooking a major highway.
But these workmen were not assigned to help; their task was beautification.
India's frantic bid to save Games It's a good decision to hold these games, but they should allow our foreign guests to see the poverty here. This is how we are. ... The rich treat the poor like a disease.
India deploys guard monkeys Efforts to hide poverty during the sports extravaganza have terrorized the lower classes of India's capital city, evicting beggars and destroying makeshift camps.
Considering what happened to the thousands displaced by the Games, the 70 families living in the Sarai Kale Khan district east of Delhi count themselves lucky.
The workmen did not raze their settlement. Instead, they built a wall of propaganda around them, erecting colourful panels in a tight semi-circle around their homes to hide the squalor of their ragged laundry lines and tarpaulin shelters.
The workers did not say anything to the residents, who did not protest.
“We're not happy about this, but how can we complain? We are poor people,” said Ramadhas Patel, 40, a snaggle-toothed labourer. Like many other men in the settlement, Mr. Patel specializes in slapping up concrete on the bridges and overpasses along the road. They're originally from the state of Chhattisgarh in the southeast, stricken by a Maoist insurgency, but have lived on their hill beside the highway for a year.
The placards that now conceal their homes from public view are festooned with the logo of the 19th Commonwealth Games, a rainbow spiral that looks like a curved line of people. Official brochures describe this as the “Wheel of Life,” symbolizing India's harmonious inclusion of many different people. One pamphlet reads: “Indians live in different worlds at any given point ... and yet co-exist as one entity.”
A crowd of men gathered in the makeshift camp to hear a translator from The Globe and Mail read aloud from the official brochure, and they seemed confused by the “Wheel of Life” concept. “It's beyond our understanding,” one said.
But the philosophical words put Mr. Patel in a thoughtful mood.
“It's a good decision to hold these games, but they should allow our foreign guests to see the poverty here,” he said. “This is how we are. There is a gap between us, a wide gap. The rich treat the poor like a disease.”
A community of about 70 families lives in a ramshackle camp for migrant labourers in the Sarai Kale Khan district in New Delhi, host of the Commonwealth Games.
He gestured at his surroundings: children playing in the dirt, shelters that resembled heaps of plastic and burlap. Smoke from a cooking fire hung in the air. The entire scene fell under the shadows of the propaganda wall, blocking the afternoon sun.
“How would anybody know that people live here?” Mr. Patel said. “They might think it's a garbage dump.”
Poverty activists estimate that India has spent $15-billion to $21-billion (U.S.) hosting the games in Delhi, while the city's annual budget for sheltering the homeless is the equivalent of $135,000.
Homeless people have largely disappeared from Delhi's streets in recent days. Even before the latest round of forced evictions, the Housing and Land Rights Network estimated that 200,000 to 250,000 people were pushed out of their homes for the sake of the games, as flimsy dwellings were bulldozed to make room for venues, parking lots and other infrastructure.
The advocacy group is now struggling to figure out what happened to the beggars, hawkers, vendors, cart-pullers, cobblers, labourers and other people who seem to have vanished. Many are rumoured to have been rounded up by police and briefly jailed, before being dumped outside the city. Others were herded to railway stations and forced onto trains.
“Sometimes people get their hands stamped by the authorities, which gives them free passage out of the city,” said Shivani Chaudhry, the HLRN's associate director. “It's like branding the poor.”
Ms. Chaudhry's group has worked with other poverty activists to organize protests against the Commonwealth Games, but she says these efforts have received little media coverage.
“There's a whole mentality that the poor are disposable,” she said.
-------------------
I forgot to coin the billboard games, where every where visitors see billboard setup to block the slums.
Let see, Shame games, Lau sak games, Last min games, dead games.
A team of workmen visited a community of poor families outside of New Delhi on the evening before the Commonwealth Games' opening day. They carried enough metal poles and plastic sheets to repair every one of the ramshackle tents clustered on the windy hill, overlooking a major highway.
But these workmen were not assigned to help; their task was beautification.
India's frantic bid to save Games It's a good decision to hold these games, but they should allow our foreign guests to see the poverty here. This is how we are. ... The rich treat the poor like a disease.
India deploys guard monkeys Efforts to hide poverty during the sports extravaganza have terrorized the lower classes of India's capital city, evicting beggars and destroying makeshift camps.
Considering what happened to the thousands displaced by the Games, the 70 families living in the Sarai Kale Khan district east of Delhi count themselves lucky.
The workmen did not raze their settlement. Instead, they built a wall of propaganda around them, erecting colourful panels in a tight semi-circle around their homes to hide the squalor of their ragged laundry lines and tarpaulin shelters.
The workers did not say anything to the residents, who did not protest.
“We're not happy about this, but how can we complain? We are poor people,” said Ramadhas Patel, 40, a snaggle-toothed labourer. Like many other men in the settlement, Mr. Patel specializes in slapping up concrete on the bridges and overpasses along the road. They're originally from the state of Chhattisgarh in the southeast, stricken by a Maoist insurgency, but have lived on their hill beside the highway for a year.
The placards that now conceal their homes from public view are festooned with the logo of the 19th Commonwealth Games, a rainbow spiral that looks like a curved line of people. Official brochures describe this as the “Wheel of Life,” symbolizing India's harmonious inclusion of many different people. One pamphlet reads: “Indians live in different worlds at any given point ... and yet co-exist as one entity.”
A crowd of men gathered in the makeshift camp to hear a translator from The Globe and Mail read aloud from the official brochure, and they seemed confused by the “Wheel of Life” concept. “It's beyond our understanding,” one said.
But the philosophical words put Mr. Patel in a thoughtful mood.
“It's a good decision to hold these games, but they should allow our foreign guests to see the poverty here,” he said. “This is how we are. There is a gap between us, a wide gap. The rich treat the poor like a disease.”
A community of about 70 families lives in a ramshackle camp for migrant labourers in the Sarai Kale Khan district in New Delhi, host of the Commonwealth Games.
He gestured at his surroundings: children playing in the dirt, shelters that resembled heaps of plastic and burlap. Smoke from a cooking fire hung in the air. The entire scene fell under the shadows of the propaganda wall, blocking the afternoon sun.
“How would anybody know that people live here?” Mr. Patel said. “They might think it's a garbage dump.”
Poverty activists estimate that India has spent $15-billion to $21-billion (U.S.) hosting the games in Delhi, while the city's annual budget for sheltering the homeless is the equivalent of $135,000.
Homeless people have largely disappeared from Delhi's streets in recent days. Even before the latest round of forced evictions, the Housing and Land Rights Network estimated that 200,000 to 250,000 people were pushed out of their homes for the sake of the games, as flimsy dwellings were bulldozed to make room for venues, parking lots and other infrastructure.
The advocacy group is now struggling to figure out what happened to the beggars, hawkers, vendors, cart-pullers, cobblers, labourers and other people who seem to have vanished. Many are rumoured to have been rounded up by police and briefly jailed, before being dumped outside the city. Others were herded to railway stations and forced onto trains.
“Sometimes people get their hands stamped by the authorities, which gives them free passage out of the city,” said Shivani Chaudhry, the HLRN's associate director. “It's like branding the poor.”
Ms. Chaudhry's group has worked with other poverty activists to organize protests against the Commonwealth Games, but she says these efforts have received little media coverage.
“There's a whole mentality that the poor are disposable,” she said.
-------------------
I forgot to coin the billboard games, where every where visitors see billboard setup to block the slums.
Let see, Shame games, Lau sak games, Last min games, dead games.
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want ah neh to say sorry, they will snake out some ridiculously reason to avoid that
Uganda's sports minister lashed out Indian officials and demanded an apology for an accident at the athlete's village.
Three Ugandan officials were injured Tuesday night when a spiked security barrier, which normally recedes into the ground to allow authorized vehicles to pass safely, malfunction, shot up and slammed into their car as they drove, New Delhi Police spokesman Rajan Bhagat said.
The officials, including the Ugandan chef de mission William Tumwine, were thrown about the car as it braked sharply and sustained injuries ranging from cuts on the head to abrasions around their eyes, said Dora Kutesan, a Ugandan diplomat.
They were treated at a hospital and kept overnight for observation, and the Ugandan high commission filed a complaint with the Indian government, she said.
Ugandan Sports Minister Charles Bakkabulindi said he was furious that he had not received an apology from India.
"If they had seen their mistake quickly and shown sympathy that they have done a mistake, we wouldn't have been annoyed. We would have said, 'OK that's an accident,'" he told India's Times Now television. "But our concern is why is it that they are not coming out to say sorry to us, to make an apology. Should we take it that they are discriminating (against) some of the African countries to that extent?"
Uganda's sports minister lashed out Indian officials and demanded an apology for an accident at the athlete's village.
Three Ugandan officials were injured Tuesday night when a spiked security barrier, which normally recedes into the ground to allow authorized vehicles to pass safely, malfunction, shot up and slammed into their car as they drove, New Delhi Police spokesman Rajan Bhagat said.
The officials, including the Ugandan chef de mission William Tumwine, were thrown about the car as it braked sharply and sustained injuries ranging from cuts on the head to abrasions around their eyes, said Dora Kutesan, a Ugandan diplomat.
They were treated at a hospital and kept overnight for observation, and the Ugandan high commission filed a complaint with the Indian government, she said.
Ugandan Sports Minister Charles Bakkabulindi said he was furious that he had not received an apology from India.
"If they had seen their mistake quickly and shown sympathy that they have done a mistake, we wouldn't have been annoyed. We would have said, 'OK that's an accident,'" he told India's Times Now television. "But our concern is why is it that they are not coming out to say sorry to us, to make an apology. Should we take it that they are discriminating (against) some of the African countries to that extent?"
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Swimmers fall ill at Commonwealth Games in India
By DENNIS PASSA (AP) – 1 hour ago
NEW DELHI — More than a dozen swimmers from Australia and England have fallen ill at the Commonwealth Games in the latest setback for trouble-plagued organizers in New Delhi.
British media reported Thursday that 20 percent of the England team's swimmers — about eight to 10 competitors — had been struck down with a stomach virus. The Australian team confirmed at least six of its swimmers had been sick, including Andrew Lauterstein, who had to withdraw from the 50-meter butterfly.
Organizers rejected speculation that the water quality at the aquatics complex was to blame.
Craig Hunter, the head of England's delegation, issued a statement saying he had received assurances from the games' organizing committee that water was safe. The England team said only 8 percent of its 541-member delegation had experienced any kind of stomach virus in the previous 28 days, which was lower than expected. That's 43 people from one team in a month.
Whether it was the water or just a case of "Delhi Belly," which isn't uncommon for visitors to India, it was yet another problem to plague an event that has been seen construction delays, pre-games complaints about filthy conditions in the athletes' village, allegations of corruption and concerns about security and outbreaks of mosquito-borne dengue fever.
In another development, police confirmed Thursday that three Ugandan officials were injured by a malfunctioning security barrier at the games' village, and a senior official from that country raised allegations of discrimination by Indian officials.
Commonwealth Games Federation President Mike Fennell said officials would conduct tests on both the main pool and the warmup pool at the Dr. S.P. Makherjee Aquatic Complex.
Fennell was asked if the swimming competition, which on Thursday was in its fourth of six days of events, might be canceled or moved if tests showed the pools to be unsafe.
"I would not like to speculate about this immediately," Fennell said. "If there is something unsafe, you cannot swim in that water. It is a matter we have to deal with a great deal of urgency."
The synchronized swimming event proceeded on schedule, while the main pool was idle ahead of the evening's session of finals.
Just before the finals program began, pool announcer Kurt Hanson, brother of former Australian Olympic swimmer Brooke Hanson, told spectators: "Let us assure you there is nothing wrong with the water here."
"The way these athletes train, their immune system is so low that they tend to pick up any bug that is going around," he said.
Hunter had earlier said England had asked organizers for safety assurances Thursday, despite regular testing of the pool.
"If they tell us the water is fit, it's fit," Hunter said.
Five-time Olympic champion Ian Thorpe said he didn't think the swimming pool was the cause of the illness.
"I'd be surprised if it was the pool because chlorine has an amazing ability to kill just about anything that we have ever created," said Thorpe, who has retired from swimming and is working here as a television commentator for the BBC.
Australian swim team spokesman Lachlan Searle said Lauterstein could not take part in training on Thursday morning and that Hayden Stoeckel, who won a silver medal Tuesday in the men's 50-meter backstroke, also could not train.
"Our doctors are looking into it ," he said.
England swim team spokesman Dave Richards said reports of the sickness had been wildly exaggerated, saying none of his country's swimmers "has missed a competition at all."
The questions over the pool came as Uganda's sports minister lashed out Indian officials and demanded an apology for an accident at the athlete's village.
Three Ugandan officials were injured Tuesday night when a spiked security barrier, which normally recedes into the ground to allow authorized vehicles to pass safely, malfunction, shot up and slammed into their car as they drove, New Delhi Police spokesman Rajan Bhagat said.
The officials, including the Ugandan chef de mission William Tumwine, were thrown about the car as it braked sharply and sustained injuries ranging from cuts on the head to abrasions around their eyes, said Dora Kutesan, a Ugandan diplomat.
They were treated at a hospital and kept overnight for observation, and the Ugandan high commission filed a complaint with the Indian government, she said.
Ugandan Sports Minister Charles Bakkabulindi said he was furious that he had not received an apology from India.
"If they had seen their mistake quickly and shown sympathy that they have done a mistake, we wouldn't have been annoyed. We would have said, 'OK that's an accident,'" he told India's Times Now television. "But our concern is why is it that they are not coming out to say sorry to us, to make an apology. Should we take it that they are discriminating (against) some of the African countries to that extent?"
The games, which run until Oct. 14, have also been plagued this week by sparse attendance at many events. Organizing committee chief Suresh Kalmadi said 125,000 tickets had been sold Wednesday for future events, allaying concerns about the empty seats at some of the venues.
By DENNIS PASSA (AP) – 1 hour ago
NEW DELHI — More than a dozen swimmers from Australia and England have fallen ill at the Commonwealth Games in the latest setback for trouble-plagued organizers in New Delhi.
British media reported Thursday that 20 percent of the England team's swimmers — about eight to 10 competitors — had been struck down with a stomach virus. The Australian team confirmed at least six of its swimmers had been sick, including Andrew Lauterstein, who had to withdraw from the 50-meter butterfly.
Organizers rejected speculation that the water quality at the aquatics complex was to blame.
Craig Hunter, the head of England's delegation, issued a statement saying he had received assurances from the games' organizing committee that water was safe. The England team said only 8 percent of its 541-member delegation had experienced any kind of stomach virus in the previous 28 days, which was lower than expected. That's 43 people from one team in a month.
Whether it was the water or just a case of "Delhi Belly," which isn't uncommon for visitors to India, it was yet another problem to plague an event that has been seen construction delays, pre-games complaints about filthy conditions in the athletes' village, allegations of corruption and concerns about security and outbreaks of mosquito-borne dengue fever.
In another development, police confirmed Thursday that three Ugandan officials were injured by a malfunctioning security barrier at the games' village, and a senior official from that country raised allegations of discrimination by Indian officials.
Commonwealth Games Federation President Mike Fennell said officials would conduct tests on both the main pool and the warmup pool at the Dr. S.P. Makherjee Aquatic Complex.
Fennell was asked if the swimming competition, which on Thursday was in its fourth of six days of events, might be canceled or moved if tests showed the pools to be unsafe.
"I would not like to speculate about this immediately," Fennell said. "If there is something unsafe, you cannot swim in that water. It is a matter we have to deal with a great deal of urgency."
The synchronized swimming event proceeded on schedule, while the main pool was idle ahead of the evening's session of finals.
Just before the finals program began, pool announcer Kurt Hanson, brother of former Australian Olympic swimmer Brooke Hanson, told spectators: "Let us assure you there is nothing wrong with the water here."
"The way these athletes train, their immune system is so low that they tend to pick up any bug that is going around," he said.
Hunter had earlier said England had asked organizers for safety assurances Thursday, despite regular testing of the pool.
"If they tell us the water is fit, it's fit," Hunter said.
Five-time Olympic champion Ian Thorpe said he didn't think the swimming pool was the cause of the illness.
"I'd be surprised if it was the pool because chlorine has an amazing ability to kill just about anything that we have ever created," said Thorpe, who has retired from swimming and is working here as a television commentator for the BBC.
Australian swim team spokesman Lachlan Searle said Lauterstein could not take part in training on Thursday morning and that Hayden Stoeckel, who won a silver medal Tuesday in the men's 50-meter backstroke, also could not train.
"Our doctors are looking into it ," he said.
England swim team spokesman Dave Richards said reports of the sickness had been wildly exaggerated, saying none of his country's swimmers "has missed a competition at all."
The questions over the pool came as Uganda's sports minister lashed out Indian officials and demanded an apology for an accident at the athlete's village.
Three Ugandan officials were injured Tuesday night when a spiked security barrier, which normally recedes into the ground to allow authorized vehicles to pass safely, malfunction, shot up and slammed into their car as they drove, New Delhi Police spokesman Rajan Bhagat said.
The officials, including the Ugandan chef de mission William Tumwine, were thrown about the car as it braked sharply and sustained injuries ranging from cuts on the head to abrasions around their eyes, said Dora Kutesan, a Ugandan diplomat.
They were treated at a hospital and kept overnight for observation, and the Ugandan high commission filed a complaint with the Indian government, she said.
Ugandan Sports Minister Charles Bakkabulindi said he was furious that he had not received an apology from India.
"If they had seen their mistake quickly and shown sympathy that they have done a mistake, we wouldn't have been annoyed. We would have said, 'OK that's an accident,'" he told India's Times Now television. "But our concern is why is it that they are not coming out to say sorry to us, to make an apology. Should we take it that they are discriminating (against) some of the African countries to that extent?"
The games, which run until Oct. 14, have also been plagued this week by sparse attendance at many events. Organizing committee chief Suresh Kalmadi said 125,000 tickets had been sold Wednesday for future events, allaying concerns about the empty seats at some of the venues.
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Games Officials Hunt for Spectators, Microbes
NEW DELHI—Having won plaudits from foreign officials for getting the Commonwealth Games off to a relatively good start, Indian authorities now face new challenges, including a large number of athletes with stomach bugs and a dearth of spectators.
The athletic contests themselves are running smoothly, without the huge logistical problems or epic traffic jams that organizers and foreign delegations had fretted about. In the first few days, 53 gold medals have been awarded in events from swimming to wrestling to shooting.
But about 8% of England's 541 athletes are suffering some form of intestinal trouble, team spokeswoman Caroline Searle said, despite strict hygiene practices that include applying hand-sanitizer frequently and using only bottled water, even to brush their teeth. The affected athletes, predominantly swimmers and field-hockey players, haven't yet missed any events, she said. Australia has also said some of its swimmers are sick, the Associated Press reported.
Suspicion has fallen on the swimming-pool water, and top Games officials said Thursday they're looking into the possibility that it's contaminated. "We must find out about this immediately. If there's something unsafe you can't swim in that water," said Mike Fennell, president of the U.K.-based Commonwealth Games Federation, which oversees host-country arrangements.
Dirty pool? An intestinal outbreak among Commonwealth Games athletes has officials looking closely at the water.
Several top athletes from around the world chose not to attend the Games out of health and safety concerns, which were stoked by the revelation late last month that athletes' housing at the Games Village was filthy. The various digestive-tract infections known popularly as "Delhi Belly" were one worry, though the potentially serious dengue fever got more attention. Cases of mosquito-borne disease were running well above average in the city.
The chaotic lead-up to the Games gave India a black eye on the world stage, and some countries, among them Scotland and New Zealand, threatened to stay home. But after a flurry of last-minute preparations and clean-up work by Indian authorities and an opening ceremony Oct. 3 that was widely hailed as entertaining and well-organized, India began to turn the page and repair its image.
At a news conference Thursday Mr. Fennell of the Games Federation said athletic events have been "fantastic" and that TV viewership around the world is high. "The highlight so far has been that all Games are happening on schedule," he said in a separate interview Wednesday, adding that organizers still are working through "a long list of issues."
One such problem: Spectators aren't flocking to watch. The 60,000-capacity Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium was only about 10% full for the first night of track and field Wednesday; two days earlier there were 3,000 empty seats at the tennis stadium, even for a match featuring India's own Leander Paes and Sania Mirza in mixed doubles.
View Full Image
AFP/Getty Images
The upper deck failed to appreciate a qualifying heat in the men's 100-meter dash Wednesday.
Some foreign officials blame a confusing retail ticketing process, while others say Delhi residents are content just to watch on TV. India's Games Organizing Committee Chairman, Suresh Kalmadi, said sales are picking up, with 125,000 tickets sold Wednesday. To help fill up the stands, he added, he's asked a local nonprofit to distribute passes to schoolchildren.
"There will always be issues to address on a daily basis," Mr. Kalmadi said in an interview with state-run broadcaster Doordarshan. "The athletes are having a whale of a time."
One growing concern, thought, is transportation for athletes and officials, with some complaining that too few drivers speak English and know New Delhi. "Every 100 meters they have to stop and ask for directions," said Stephen Soi, chief manager of Kenya's delegation. As a result, he said, many athletes and officials are choosing not to leave the Games Village housing complex unnecessarily.
"We don't know when we'll be able to get back home," he explained.
Ms. Searle said England's squad, equipped with directions to venues written in Hindi for the drivers, isn't having major transportation problems.
A different kind of transporation trouble hit the Ugandan team Tuesday evening: A car carrying a group that included the head of the nation's delegation was damaged when a security barrier at the gates of the Games Village rose unexpectedly under the vehicle. Three passengers were briefly hospitalized and one needed stitches near her eye, but all are now recovering at the Village, a spokesman said. It wasn't clear whether the device malfunctioned or there was an error by a security guard or the driver.
Many athletes and delegations are taking the various issues in stride, even praising New Delhi for organizing an impressive event and building state-of-the-art venues.
"Despite all the negativity, the accommodations have been top notch and the volunteers are really helping," said Lloyd Van Putten, a team official for Bermuda. "They're doing a great job making us feel welcome."
NEW DELHI—Having won plaudits from foreign officials for getting the Commonwealth Games off to a relatively good start, Indian authorities now face new challenges, including a large number of athletes with stomach bugs and a dearth of spectators.
The athletic contests themselves are running smoothly, without the huge logistical problems or epic traffic jams that organizers and foreign delegations had fretted about. In the first few days, 53 gold medals have been awarded in events from swimming to wrestling to shooting.
But about 8% of England's 541 athletes are suffering some form of intestinal trouble, team spokeswoman Caroline Searle said, despite strict hygiene practices that include applying hand-sanitizer frequently and using only bottled water, even to brush their teeth. The affected athletes, predominantly swimmers and field-hockey players, haven't yet missed any events, she said. Australia has also said some of its swimmers are sick, the Associated Press reported.
Suspicion has fallen on the swimming-pool water, and top Games officials said Thursday they're looking into the possibility that it's contaminated. "We must find out about this immediately. If there's something unsafe you can't swim in that water," said Mike Fennell, president of the U.K.-based Commonwealth Games Federation, which oversees host-country arrangements.
Dirty pool? An intestinal outbreak among Commonwealth Games athletes has officials looking closely at the water.
Several top athletes from around the world chose not to attend the Games out of health and safety concerns, which were stoked by the revelation late last month that athletes' housing at the Games Village was filthy. The various digestive-tract infections known popularly as "Delhi Belly" were one worry, though the potentially serious dengue fever got more attention. Cases of mosquito-borne disease were running well above average in the city.
The chaotic lead-up to the Games gave India a black eye on the world stage, and some countries, among them Scotland and New Zealand, threatened to stay home. But after a flurry of last-minute preparations and clean-up work by Indian authorities and an opening ceremony Oct. 3 that was widely hailed as entertaining and well-organized, India began to turn the page and repair its image.
At a news conference Thursday Mr. Fennell of the Games Federation said athletic events have been "fantastic" and that TV viewership around the world is high. "The highlight so far has been that all Games are happening on schedule," he said in a separate interview Wednesday, adding that organizers still are working through "a long list of issues."
One such problem: Spectators aren't flocking to watch. The 60,000-capacity Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium was only about 10% full for the first night of track and field Wednesday; two days earlier there were 3,000 empty seats at the tennis stadium, even for a match featuring India's own Leander Paes and Sania Mirza in mixed doubles.
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The upper deck failed to appreciate a qualifying heat in the men's 100-meter dash Wednesday.
Some foreign officials blame a confusing retail ticketing process, while others say Delhi residents are content just to watch on TV. India's Games Organizing Committee Chairman, Suresh Kalmadi, said sales are picking up, with 125,000 tickets sold Wednesday. To help fill up the stands, he added, he's asked a local nonprofit to distribute passes to schoolchildren.
"There will always be issues to address on a daily basis," Mr. Kalmadi said in an interview with state-run broadcaster Doordarshan. "The athletes are having a whale of a time."
One growing concern, thought, is transportation for athletes and officials, with some complaining that too few drivers speak English and know New Delhi. "Every 100 meters they have to stop and ask for directions," said Stephen Soi, chief manager of Kenya's delegation. As a result, he said, many athletes and officials are choosing not to leave the Games Village housing complex unnecessarily.
"We don't know when we'll be able to get back home," he explained.
Ms. Searle said England's squad, equipped with directions to venues written in Hindi for the drivers, isn't having major transportation problems.
A different kind of transporation trouble hit the Ugandan team Tuesday evening: A car carrying a group that included the head of the nation's delegation was damaged when a security barrier at the gates of the Games Village rose unexpectedly under the vehicle. Three passengers were briefly hospitalized and one needed stitches near her eye, but all are now recovering at the Village, a spokesman said. It wasn't clear whether the device malfunctioned or there was an error by a security guard or the driver.
Many athletes and delegations are taking the various issues in stride, even praising New Delhi for organizing an impressive event and building state-of-the-art venues.
"Despite all the negativity, the accommodations have been top notch and the volunteers are really helping," said Lloyd Van Putten, a team official for Bermuda. "They're doing a great job making us feel welcome."
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Indian eves beat England 3-0, face Singapore in final
India's Poulomi Ghatak in action against England's Hannah Hicks on Thursday. The Indian team defeated England 3-0 to advance to the finals.
Photo; Rajeev Bhatt
India's Poulomi Ghatak in action against England's Hannah Hicks on Thursday. The Indian team defeated England 3-0 to advance to the finals.
Photo; Rajeev Bhatt
Fourth seed Indian women’s team breezed into the final of the Commonwealth Games’ table tennis competition, beating third seed England 3-0 at Yamuna Sports Complex here on Thursday.
Former national champion Kumaresan Shamini overcame some early challenges before beating Kelly Sibley 3-1 to give the hosts a winning start before an almost full gallary.
Bengal paddler Mouma Das and reigning national champion Poulomi Ghatak then came out on top against Joanna Parker and Hannah Hicks respectively with an identical 3-0 scoreline and clinched the issue.
In the final, the Indians will take on top seed Singapore, who eased past Malaysia 3-0 in the other semifinal earlier today.
“Our preparation trips to China before the Delhi Games now paying dividends. Although we were confident, but we did not expect to beat England so easily. We also got good support from the crowd,” India’s foreign coach Massimo Constantini said after the match.
“We now face world champions in the final and are quite confident of giving them good fight because today’s win have added to our confidence,” the Italian added.
Indian women, who got bronze in Melbourne Games in 2006, had yesterday overcame third seed Australia 3-1 in the quarterfinal.
Re: India the next super power?
Using India as a reference point is setting the bar really low !
Really...... the way things are going, can anyone do any worse ???
Using India as a reference point is setting the bar really low !
Really...... the way things are going, can anyone do any worse ???
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Re: India the next super power?
To think that matland is smaller but still managed to produce better games compared to shitland and yet these bastards will twist and turn around to give excuses.
Using India as a reference point is setting the bar really low !
Really...... the way things are going, can anyone do any worse ???
To think that matland is smaller but still managed to produce better games compared to shitland and yet these bastards will twist and turn around to give excuses.
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An Indian soldier looks at a remote television camera after the medal ceremony for the duet free routine synchronised swimming at the S.P. Mukherjee Aquatics Centre
An Indian soldier looks at a remote television camera after the medal ceremony for the duet free routine synchronised swimming at the S.P. Mukherjee Aquatics Centre
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Chloe Isaac of Canada performs prior to the Solo Free Routine at the Dr.S.P. Mukherjee Aquatics Complex during the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi, India
Wtf is that thing on her nose?
She looks so scary
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