There is no disagreement between Kalmadi and Fennel: Gill

CHANDIGARH - Union Sports Minister M S Gill on Saturday played down the recent tiff between 2010 Commonwealth Games Organising Committee chairman Suresh Kalmadi and Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) chief Michael Fennel, saying that there is no problem of concern between them.

“I have talked to Kalmadi and Fennel, and there is no problem or disagreement between the two,” Gill said.

Kalmadi and Fennel were recently involved in a war of words, where Kalmadi had demanded the CGF to recall Commonwealth Games 2010 CEO Mike Hooper from Delhi, and had described Hooper’s two-year stint with the Organising Committee as useless and an impediment.

In response to the demand, Fennel had said that Hooper had the full support of the CGF’s Executive Board, and that he is an outstanding Chief Executive and leader of the CGF management team.

In his statement, Fennel had further advised the OC that instead of attacking Hooper, it should focus on issues raised by the CGF during its recent visit to Delhi.

Gill further said that despite the controversy both committees would work together to make the 2010 Commonwealth Games a successful one.

“Our preparations for the Commonwealth Games are going on at a good pace and it would be complete well in time. I am confident that we would sort out things,” he said. (ANI)