Fennell, Kalmadi confident Delhi will be ready for Games

AMRITSAR - Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) chief Michael Fennell and Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president Suresh Kalmadi Friday admitted that some work remained to be done but things will be in place by Oct 3, the day the Commonwealth Games are declared open in Delhi.

Both Fennell and Kalmadi, who had differences over the pace of work on the games infrastructure, sounded confident that Delhi would be ready for the Games.

Fennell will visit the showpieces of the new Games infrastructure — Indira Gandhi Indoor stadium, Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, SP Mukherjee Swimming complex and the Games Village — on arrival in the Capital Saturday to monitor the exact progress of work.

“There is undoubtedly some work to do before the Games. But there is always work to do when you have just three months left (for the event), there is nothing unusual about it. We are confident that India will be ready by the time the Games begin,” Fennell told IANS at Golden Temple when the Queen’s Baton reached there after entering India through the border with Pakistan at Attari, for its 100-day tour of India before the Oct 3-14 Games.

“We will continue to assist the Organising Committee (OC) and support them in every possible way,” he said.

The baton was handed over by Pakistan Olympic Association officials led by Lt. Gen Arif Hassan to Kalmadi, chairman of Games Organising Committee, at a colourful ceremony at Attari.

Other dignitaries and leading sports personalities, including Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, were present.

“When the baton moved around the world, everyone saw India with anticipation and inspiration. Inspiration because India is hosting the games for the first time, and anticipation because it is expected to be a spectacular event,” said Fennell, who was accompanied by CGF chief executive Michael Hooper.

“The passing of baton from Pakistan to India shows the harmony between the two countries and sports will add to it.

“We are delighted with the kind of reception the baton received in Pakistan. The Queen’s Baton Relay is part of the tradition of the Commonwealth Games,” said Fennell, who has been a harsh critic of the slow pace of work on the infrastructure for the Games and had even sought Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s intervention for the timely completion.

Kalmadi, who reached the Golden Temple shortly after Fennell and Hooper, admitted there is work to be done but allayed all fears saying: “We still have 100 days and 100 nights.”

“See, there is some work left, but we will do it in time, there is nothing to worry about. It’s basically pertaining to the Organising Committee, the government has done its job. But we still have 100 days and nights to do it,” Kalmadi said.

“Today the baton has come to India and it is an historic moment for us. It is also a reminder that how much time is left. We are happy that the Baton has begun its journey from Amritsar, the holy city of Golden temple. We have come here for the blessings for the successful hosting of the Commonwealth Games.”