Delhi Games will see the biggest participation

NEW DELHI - The 2010 Commonwealth Games will see around 7,000 athletes and team officials from 71 nations and territories descending on New Delhi, making it the biggest turnout in the Games history.

There were 5,766 athletes and team officials in attendance in Melbourne.

“Delhi 2010 is set to become the largest ever Commonwealth Games and we are confident that the Games will be conducted smoothly,” said Commonwealth Games Organising Committee (CGOC) secretary Lalit Bhanot.

Bhanot said the figure is likely to go up as more athletes may still be included.

“This number is likely to go up as the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) has a policy for accepting late entries and there are many requests.”

“The exact number of athletes will be known only when the Delegation Registration Meetings (DRM) are held between Sep 16 and Oct 2. Until this process is complete, the Organising Committee is not allowed by the CGF to reveal the names of the individual athletes,” he said.

Bhanot said there are many World, Olympic, Commonwealth Games and continental champions among the participants.

“We are sure that the paying spectators and the TV audiences across the world will enjoy watching these athletes perform in the world class facilities created here.

“We are confident that the athletes in 17 disciplines and four para sport events (150 athletes) will like the facilities here and deliver very good performance. They will also enjoy living in the Games Village, built to accommodate 7,200 people,” he said.

India will field the biggest contingent of more than 600 athletes and team officials while Botswana will be the smallest with less than five athletes and officials.

Many nations are sending their largest contingents to a Commonwealth Games outside their home nations.

With a 220-strong contingent, South Africa will be the biggest team from Africa.

India’s neighbours Pakistan and Sri Lanka will send contingents of around 125 each. Australia (550), England (525), Canada (400), New Zealand (325), Malaysia (325), Scotland (300) and Wales (240) are the top seven countries in terms of contingent-size.