Is Australia right to criticise Delhi games?

Based on the pictures posted by the BBC the conditions in the "village" are absolutely deplorable. I wouldn't set foot in there for fear of catching something very nasty. That is scandalous to say the very least.

This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.

Is Australia right to criticise Delhi games?

Well the Indian governments been pretty damning of the bodies responsible for organising he games, so I see no harm in he Australians expressing the same sentiment.

refreshing..it makes a change from India's neighbour being unfairly criticised all the time...maybe people need to wake up to the fact that India isn't what the west usually makes it out to be

As for Australia, it's better that they looked within themselves and their treatment of the natives of that land...improve on that before criticising any other nation

Yes, India should be criticised in the strongest terms and barred in organising any major event. We Indians have once again proved we are the most corrupt nation.

50,000 people sleep on the streets of Delhi every night but India is one of the world's fastest growing economies and has it's own space programme. Not only should this country not have been given the Commonwealth games, the country as a whole should not be given economic aid. Holding the games in India has made the event a laughing stock.

I don't think that India is particularly the problem, its the games themselves.

The Commonwealth Games are a throwback to the days of Empire. Whilst most of our European neighbours simply pulled out of their colonies and left it that we decided to form a Mickey Mouse Club called the Commonwealth.

The ones that pull out should not be selected for the Olympic Games. Real sportsmen of years ago competed in all conditions and were not pampered like todays non amateur competitors.If not ready find the teams' own hotels and training as in the real days of sport. The countries that pull out should be barred from staging any future games.

We can only ascertain the problems watching the news. It looks very bad.

No chance of me being a competing athlete, but if I was, I would give the games a miss. Don't want to catch something nasty.

I think the games in Delhi should be abandoned.

It doesn't take a genius to plan the construction and fit-out of an olympic-type village, given the advance notice. I worked on the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin and the athletes villages (some of the accommodation was in moutain venues) were ready at least six months ahead of the event, apart from final decor and minor fixtures.
The Delhi débacle exudes the odour of poor management, non-existent planning and skimming.

The question should be 'should India have bid for the Games?' They seem to have a false sense of their capability. Operating Call Centres for western organisations (not very well most of the time) does not qualify them for a complex project. Somebody whined on about their problems also due to colonisation.... Good job they have a good railway system. India is a very very rich economy and highly industrialised but they haven't moved into the 20th never mind the 21st century, apart from inequality and the wealthy indulging themselves - no change there then. The Organisers also largely to blame for not monitoring the project, why not?

I think the negative publicity on corruption surrounging these games is fair, and in fact should get more focus.

Delhi needs these games, and should get as much support as they can. However, the Indian government needs to step in and find incover those responsible for its failures. Unfortunately, these corrupt people are likely to wealthy and powerful, and in a country where such people have so much influence, and where the caste system is so prevalent, this is unlikely.

the games are a disaster before they even start

he will not hear it in the general news but security experts are appalled that the building are not finished and completely secured/sealed

a sudden influx of workers will no doubt include AQT (Al Qaeda Taliban) - they could plant time delayed bombs all over the place (as per Brighton bombing)

sad to say the considered view of those who are 'in the know' is that some sort of AQT attack is inevitable

looking at the Mumbai attack hardly instills one with confidence in the Indian security services/military

I'm beginning to wonder whether the images I've seen of half-finished and filthy accomodation (was some of it blood?) have been "doctored" by some clever chap with sophisticated software.

I realise that India will learn from its mistakes, as we all do, but what on earth has the Games committee been doing in all this time? Is it another of these cosy quangos that should be abolished?

As a spectator, I'll certainly watch what there is of it on TV but, if I were an athlete, I'd find an excuse to wash my hair at home while the Games are on.

This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.

This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.

Of course they are, every country has the right to give their opinion, I have seen the pictures, and from just that the environment for the athletes looks terrible.

However, look at 2012, I know its 2 years away, but I am sure not all the paint will have dried for when the games start in London!!!

The following have happened in relation to this project:

1) A delay in completion of the facilities.

2) Tourists have been shot at last weekend.

3) A bridge collapsed.

4) A false ceiling collapsed.

5) Filthy premises (as revealed by the BBC)

6) Dengue fever epidemic.

Let's ask again, do you think Delhi should have been awarded the Commonwealth Games?

anyone who has travelled to India will not be surprised by the Photos the BBC published. Other than 5 Star hotels hygene conditions are deplorable. Even in a 5 star hotel I boil the bottled water having contracted dystentry there a couple of years ago. After being discharged from hospital (not a great experience either) I found out that street children were taing used plastic bottles from skips outside the hotel, filling them from a street tap and selling them back to hotel staff.

Too late, even to blame

" Commonwealth Games Federation lacked the resources to monitor progress and to ensure that construction deadlines were met. "

Most Indian TV channels were ON about this mess for some time now, if more resources were needed then they should have been asked before and not now.

It is difficult for anyone to stay in those rooms or similar looking rooms after seeing those photos?

In my opinion, all the key stakeholders (including Australia) should look at themselves to ask, what they could have done to avoid this situation...

Is the Queenie going? Let her stay in one of the rooms.

I am an Indian and feel more countries should criticize India for the games preparation. I would be happy if India does not organize any major International event for the next 50 years. Why give the corrupt Indian politicians a chance to rob the nation's wealth?

No-one forced the games on India. They bid for it, knowing what needed to be done.

If these games deserve to be criticized, as per their non-delivery wrt their bid commitments, why not?

If the heat's too hot, then don't go into and/or get out of the kitchen.

8. At 12:43pm on 24 Sep 2010, ali1072 wrote:
The ones that pull out should not be selected for the Olympic Games. Real sportsmen of years ago competed in all conditions and were not pampered like todays non amateur competitors.If not ready find the teams' own hotels and training as in the real days of sport. The countries that pull out should be barred from staging any future games.
---------------
Wait a second, didn't a bridge collapse? Isn't the safety of the athletes more important than preserving India's dignity? As an outsider looking in, India bit off more than she could chew when she took on the responsibility of the games.

Everyone has 20/20 hindsight.

7. At 12:36pm on 24 Sep 2010, Ian Jerram wrote:

I don't think that India is particularly the problem, its the games themselves.

The Commonwealth Games are a throwback to the days of Empire. Whilst most of our European neighbours simply pulled out of their colonies and left it that we decided to form a Mickey Mouse Club called the Commonwealth.

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_

You obviously have no understanding what the Commonwealth is all about. It is not a throwback to the days of the Empire. Do some research rather then making pathetic comments.



To answer the question, yes India should be criticized. It volunteered to hold the games which meant that it would receive benefits and all the monetary gains that come with holding the games. However, it appears that it has tried to provide the games with the cheapest accommodation and facilities it could. A bridge collapsed and so have ceilings in weight rooms. What would have happened if there had been athletes and audiences on the bridge or in the weight rooms when they collapsed. How safe are all the buildings that the athletes and audiences going to use?

Sport is all about about a relatively few wealthy people making lots of money from the far from wealthy many. The Indian wealthy few have as much right to ride a gravy train as those in other countries. No doubt the many Indian tax payers will discover they have the same rights as taxpayers everywhere - the right to pick up the tab.

australia have the right to express
their opinions

In the first place, India should have been awarded these games. This is waste of billions of $$ by a poor country, where millions are below poverty line and sleep on roads.Now they have proved that they are poor organizors also. Failing to complete the stadiums and the corruption has shown the real face of "shining India"

Of course they are right to express their opinion!

I only hope that the games are scrapped forever, long before Glasgow City Council who couldnt organise the proverbial in a brewery shame Scotland like Dehli has shamed India.

skinmelanin wrote: "As for Australia, it's better that they looked within themselves and their treatment of the natives of that land...improve on that before criticising any other nation."
___________________

No matter where you're from, YOUR country has a history of and is currently mistreating people and groups of people. That means YOU are not allowed to criticize any nation, ever. See how that works?

When something goes wrong, one can either criticize & mock, or one can pitch in & help.
Australia has chosen her answer.
How helpful is it for the Australia's Olympic Committee President to say that the Commonwealth Games should not have been awarded to Delhi. The fact is, they were awarded to Delhi, and the entire Commonwealth of Nations should be standing behind her.
John Coates said the Commonwealth Games Federation lacked the resources to monitor progress and to ensure that construction deadlines were met. How does he know that? Has he visited India to ascertain what monitoring occured, how deadlines were met?
England has become the first overseas team to reach Delhi. Good on England! The Commonwealth of Nations could use more countries like England.
The build-up to the event has been marred by construction delays, corruption scandals, a dengue fever outbreak, the collapse of a footbridge near the main stadium and security fears after Sunday's shooting of two tourists outside Delhi's Jama Masjid mosque. These happenings are very bad. As a sister-member of the Commonwealth of Nations are you helping or hindering? What help have you offered?
If you are criticiizing and hindering, why are you doing that?
Should organisers be given more support?
Yes.
Is the negative coverage unfair?
No, the bad events that have happened are newsworthy.
But oh how I long to see, more positive news such as - Australia, after initially critcising the awarding of the games to India, has rolled up her sleaves and dispatched both security personnel & construction engineers to do her part in getting the games to the gate on time.

if this is their standard of construction (said as a uk qualified architect) how the hell have they managed to develop nuclear weapons and enter the 'space age'?

totally shocked/appalled after what India has said about Pakistan being a 'failed state'

UK athletes had to go for political/trade reasons and after Cameron's recent comment whilst in India

as 'games' - they are an inconvenience to world class competitors - what merit is there in winning a 'race' when the best in the world are not competing?

Yes, to some extent; but, they're not right (and have no right) to make sweeping statements amounting to our nation's defamation.

Is Australia right to criticise Delhi games?

Of course. It's what they do best - whinge (although with the Ashes coming up they'll have plenty of practice anyway)

And what's the betting Mark Webber will criticise the Delhi motor racing track when the time comes?

Let them moan

Nobody takes any notice anyway

Luckily, Australia is entitled to comment freely. We in the UK couldn't possibly comment because it would sound like Imperial sour grapes. Whether the Commonwealth Games turn out to be a shambles is a moot point; some of us will just have to wait and see...

Dehli belly - no thanks!!

Some Indian officials dont have any idea,vision or insight about an international sports event like this,everybody heard they talk nonsense in live TV.I dought for some of them it was their welth game.

This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.

Knowing what we now know and the fact that India is not a nation big on games other than Cricket and Badminton, tennis are limited. Plus the fact that they'd rather mental/intellectual work than manual/physical work as well as poor project management of govt programmes with corruption endemic in the system as Contractors and builders try to cut corners using the cheapest materials to make huge profits and line their pockets. The Commonwealth Organisers should therefore have anticipated events. Having stated, that, it would have been difficult to refuse India as a member of the Commonwealth not to have the chance/opportunity to host a game like other members. It would take a very long time though for India to get another opportunity, given the shambolic state of the facilities. The negative coverage is factual and therefore fair and Indians more than anyone else have been the most critical. Not worth the trouble to travel amidst all the issues listed above that could hampoer the games. But wish them and all the athletes who end up going the best if the games do take place eventually!

29. At 1:46pm on 24 Sep 2010, Ahmad Mir wrote:

In the first place, India should have been awarded these games. This is waste of billions of $$ by a poor country, where millions are below poverty line and sleep on roads.Now they have proved that they are poor organizors also. Failing to complete the stadiums and the corruption has shown the real face of "shining India"

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_

If India is so poor why is it spending billions on space exploration?

I am optimistic.

World records may be broken in the sprint track events with the starting line at one end of the straight and the loos at the other.....

6. At 12:35pm on 24 Sep 2010, Edwin Schrodinger wrote:

50,000 people sleep on the streets of Delhi every night but India is one of the world's fastest growing economies and has it's own space programme. Not only should this country not have been given the Commonwealth games, the country as a whole should not be given economic aid. Holding the games in India has made the event a laughing stock.

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_

I agree with everything you say apart from the fact that India should not have been given the games and the last bit. It is not the games that have been made a laughing stock, it is India.

The reporting has not been unfair for the simple reason that it highlighted serious concerns over health, hygeine, security, sub-standard buildings & structures, etc. What is unfair about that being exposed?

Is Australia right to criticise Delhi games?

Yes, it's called freedom of speech.

How could one guess that India, with its huge organizational capacity, would fail this time? Australia is right but if it knew of something I didn't, it should have opposed to India a few years ago. I can't see that India will not get it right in time.

The point is that the Indian organisers should have never given the Aussies or any one else the opportunity to criticise by doing a good job.

Especially given the price tag of 12 BILLION DOLLARS.

This amount in private hands could have produced true marvels
The fact remains that the political class has not just all fingers but their entire arms in the gravy.

An old Indian saying goes something like this: You can get away with adding a little mud in cement but adding a little cement in the mud will not make the wall stand which is precisely what seems to have happened.

Alas a few again bring dishonour to all of us.


As for the Aussies or the rest here gloating at India's failure, well this is just a blip,The politicians not withstanding, WE WILL STILL BEAT YOU IN THE LONG RUN so take that smug "better than thou" smile off your face.

Australia has unnecessarily entered the fray. Organising the Commonwealth Games is a huge logistical exercise. Be ready for welcome surprises. Put negativity aside and concentrate on the positive by giving the Indian organisers the benefit of the doubt. True they are working against the clock but Indians are known for their resourcefulness. The chief Secretary to the indian Prime Minister has taken over the critical running of the organisation of the Delhi Games. This could herald important changes which could change the tempo of the preparations for the games. Hope springs eternal.

Time for all the India haters to come crawling I guess.

I can only imagine the self congratulatory smiles on the faces of the head of BBC & the Queen of a puny Island

India is looking for volunteer astronauts for its space programme. Any takers?

no matter wat the aussie have to say about india,,,,let me tel that india is going to give a spectacular opening ceremony that no one has seen before...its is goin to be more spatacular that wat the aussies did....common guys give india a chance...its is in middle of a flood situation...its goin to be one of the best games organised...

Australia did the RIGHT thing to caution the World that India is still the Third world country full of corrupt politicians, shoddy contractors, half baked construction workers and non-standard materials. There is danger in the building from poor construction, there is danger outside the building from vote greedy politicians and their unscrupulous friends in the Islamic under world, there is danger on the streets of New Delhi being hit by one of the autos, there is danger in the markets from being exploited, robbed, fake goods etc. I do not see Delhi as a venue for any international event, except to teach civilization what greedy, selfish, thick skinned politicians can do to destroy a country.

Yes Australia is right, there's nothing like a bandwagon to jump on and Australia knows one when it sees it.

India shouldn't be awarded the Commonwealth Games at the very first place, holds a true criticism.
Indian regime tried to build a hype among public for Commonwealth games by associating it 'National Pride' & 'National honor'.But, how can ever the 'National Pride' evolve in a society that is purely driven by selfish interest aka 'Corruption'? How can the citizens of a corrupt society(& country) feel proud to host an event, get involved with it in the name of country?

Judging by the pictures and the bridge collapsing,i would say yes.

I heard a spokesman for the Indian games people claiming that 'some peoples idea of hygiene is different to others', I assume that having sewage all over the floor is considered acceptable to some? Even if you are very poor I doubt you want that. Clearly the facilities are not ready, whether they can be made ready in the timescale I don't know. In the meantime I think some people need to consider very carefully their responses to questions.

There are two sides to his comments
Technically he is correct given the bad organization of Indian government but the tone of his comments smell typical hate-India behavior. His criticism is not constructive. It highlights the fact that the facilities are not good enough yet and also exposes his hateful character.

Any well wisher would extend helping had rather than pulling legs.
On the other note I think India will still manage to be a successful host of these games.

And we are importing "skilled" workers from India??

This is just another case of giving dog a bad name before hanging him.There has been minor slips that doesn't give right to Aussies to give severe criticism.

Certainly yes. you are welcome ..

India is a chaotic but a functional democracy. If we do not learn the lessons now, we will never learn them. So a CW Games had one way helped India expose itself shamelessly but with no fear as the transformation will start just as we did open the economy in 90 so bold that we are now confident.
There have been significant changes in India. Educating a mass, building a strong middle class, reducing poverty though still prevalent, giving media a freedom to expose its own weakness, introducing computerization of its government (a bold universal ID project, a caste based census to identify parity ), building infrastructure slow but steady though difficult, aiming higher in science and technology, automobile manufacturing, services with a large and confident internal consumer base is by no means a simple achievement with 1 billion people. It is simply remarkable. But we are still far away but we are moving forward and not going backward.
We will march past this difficult situation and the people of India will be united though feeling embarrassed. We will not fail toward our destination.

Of course Aus has the right to complain, just as anyone else who was thinking of sending athletes to such a disastrous mismanaged destination.
Where was the level of supervision such an undertaking in such a country obviously requires?

Absolutely yes.At least the Aussies have the balls to say it rather that pandering to the corrupt officials who fear losing face.Get used to it India.You might be a quickly prospering nation but you will never be able to cut it when it comes to our standards.Stick to Bollywood movies.Its what you are best at.

This criticism might be justified but it has come a bit too late. I would be more concerned about a mass outbreak of 'Delhi Belly'! I hope our teams have large supplies of imodium and gaviscon etc!

Yes, Australia's Olympic Committee President indeed has the right to express his opinion. Just as everyone taking part in this discussion has the right to express his/her opinion.

In Dehli's defense, it's easy to criticize others failures after the game is over. The Commonwealth Games Federation Committee should have foreseen the problems that exist today in Dehli, and taken the necessary forethought & precautions when they awarded Dehli the games to insure these obstacles didn't occur.

The real losers here are the many athletes who trained hard to take part in the games, only to get their hopes, dreams, and expectations 10 feet off the ground, and have cheap & shoddy planing kick the chair out from underneath them.

As a british-american in Florida..........GO ENGLAND!

Making a comment like that is condescending, racist. Indian government is well aware of of the short comings that have beset this event, and appropriate remedial action has been initiated. I don't think such mean spirited and unhelpful comments are in line with the spirit of Commonwealth.

For a country with such a good and rapidly expanding economy that still for some reason gets plenty of international aid despite also treating itself with nuclear weapons and a space programme it's a joke that the Indian people have to put up with such shocking infrastructure and building quality. Going by what images we have seen on the news of the athletes village and of bridges falling down of course the Australians are right to criticise.

"Is the negative coverage unfair?" - LOL!

This coming from the BBC, the biggest India basher of them all. The BBC has little positive to say about India, aparantly we are all into forced marriages, honour killings and the biggest one... we are Islamaphobic!

The BBC might do well to note, that alot of the delays are due to Islamist terrorists (yes, say it how it is!). Of course, this is India's fault as well?

'Is Australia right to criticise Delhi games?' Love how the BBC sets up a free kick to all the Aussie bashers out there with a question like this.The generalisation 'WE' are all criticising the games is breathtaking.One comment on radio by the Australian Olympic Committee boss responding to a question and it's jumped on.No one else in the Commonwealth made a statement about the games yet? Wishing Delhi a good games.

If they cancel the Commonwealth Games would anyone really notice?

Yes ,The Australians are sadly 110 % correct.

It is not a big deal to have an exemplary games if there is a will/intention/discipline and proper planning which are lacking over here at Delhi.Things are kept for the last moments so that corruption can pass off smoothly at the last moment after creating a sense of urgency.

Sadly things wont change as we Indians have no clue how to change it as we seem get satisfied just by criticizing.

Of course Australia is right to criticize the awarding of the games to India; from the moment it was announced, it was clear that a disaster was in the offing, because the infrastructure simply isn't there to support an event of this kind.

The trouble is, given the corrupt background of the asian sub-continent, money changed hands in advance and so for those interested and well paid 'powers that be' who made the decision there was no going back!

If that's how they honestly feel then of course they should.
I see that one of the latest comments from the Indian minister were words to the effect that the collapse of the bridge should not concern anyone as it was not to be used by officials or athletes but just by "...the common man."
Sums it up nicely.

I have been reading various comments about CWG games. I will humbly point one thing to most of your readers that the Indian masses do not care at all for your CW games. They are too busy fighting with their daily bread and butter problems rather than bothering about expensive games for the sake of entertainment of rich western world. If they had really cared, they would have taught a lesson to all these organizers and politicians including international CWG bosses by now who are real culprits.

Yes, Indians are capable and efficient on an average if and when they are interested in something, for which they have real respect, for example, science and technology, education etc. Western countries with all their money have not excelled as much in technical education as Indians have done with all their lack of resoureces. It is a question of priority. The sports have never been priority of an average indian and therefore if our politicians are spoiling the CWG, they are not so bothered. As shown in past, Indian masses will take care of these politicians in their own way as and when they get too tired of them. Meanwhile an average indian is too busy playng more important sports of life like sending rockets, making computers etc.

One more thing, an average Indian has no problem in sharing the roads with stray dogs and cows. We believe in harmonious existence extended even to animals. If some people have problem with that, they should not bother to come to India (just like some Indians who can't accept that leave and settle out of India.)

After looking at the images of the wash basins on the news last night I felt compelled to clean my TV screen.

All this user's posts have been removed.Why?

It would be prudent to presume a thorough investigation was done prior to labeling India unworthy of hosting the games. If the blame has been purely speculative - based on a few pictures, an apology is in order.

If indeed the state of things are in shambles, India needs to pay the price. The athletes most of all should be compensated for their work. The attendees need to be reimbursed. Better to have mishaps before the start rather than a disaster during the games. So don't proceed with the games. There just isn't enough time to accurately portray what India is truly capable of.

It is indeed appalling to witness the collective mismanagement at work. Eight years of preparation time and a chance to host world class athletes. I feel the legacy of this incompetence will deny India a chance to lead in other arenas as well.

The very idea is ridiculous.

India, a backward, socially-incapable, over-populated, undernourished, child-labour camp is expected to build an Olympic-type village,
when they can't get their people into decent housing with decent health care and decent government?

Oh but they have NUKES.
That must make them all modern and ready for anything, right?
Please. There's no reason, except for India to cash in on tourists and athletes.

Australia is absolutely correct. It is typical of our authorities to tow the diplomatic line. I honestly believe our Commonwealth Games authorities would send our competitors just to keep faith with the Indians and our diplomatic government. The Australians don't pussy foot around, they say it how it is.

whilst the main concern seems to be the cleanliness / finnish of the athletes village, i think more needs to be looked at in the way of the structures themselves.that ffotbridge just collapsed with no foot traffic on it, the roof stuctures look a disgrace and personally caould you imagine if one of the stadiums had a partial collapse, i for one wouldnt set foot under any of these, the sub standard of construction is clear to see, we should sent our own health and safety official out prior to any uk sports person arriving . i definatley see some disaster on the horizon. Its is a 3rd world country, they should never have been awarded the games, lives are at risk here !

After seeing the evidence, that was shown, then all athletes should have some self respect and refuse to attend. There is no excuse for the dirt and filth at these sites. The health and physical dangers are too great. Obviously the Indian authorities holds these games with contempt or they would have ensured that the site etc was in good order. If India had employed skilled workers and paid them good wages then i am sure that this would not have happened. Australia, and other countries, are right to veto the games.

India should have concentrated on providing clean water, Housing and Sanitation for the millions who live in slums. Then this tragic situation would never have happened.

The good thing it shows that with Government effort Houses and Infrastructure can be made for all. Shame India only provides it for Tourism and the Rich.

China is a more egalitarian society than India, so they were able to pull off a high standard Olympic Games.

I bet we in Britain will also come a cropper over the Olympics because we are a shamefully non-egalitarian society.

64. At 3:44pm on 24 Sep 2010, Culley Bailey wrote:

Yes, Australia's Olympic Committee President indeed has the right to express his opinion. Just as everyone taking part in this discussion has the right to express his/her opinion.

In Dehli's defense, it's easy to criticize others failures after the game is over. The Commonwealth Games Federation Committee should have foreseen the problems that exist today in Dehli, and taken the necessary forethought & precautions when they awarded Dehli the games to insure these obstacles didn't occur.

The real losers here are the many athletes who trained hard to take part in the games, only to get their hopes, dreams, and expectations 10 feet off the ground, and have cheap & shoddy planing kick the chair out from underneath them.

As a british-american in Florida..........GO ENGLAND!

_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

British-american?!?!? No such thing!! You are either British or American...you can't be both!

I've heard that workers at the "village" have been setting bear traps to catch to the bedbugs. Makes you hair stand up on end just to think about it. I wouldn't turn off the lights at night if I had to sleep there. I wouldn't sleep there period.

Yes the Australians are correct to criticise.
the games would have benefited India greatly as they have in many other cities. Its a shame if they are cancelled. And if it is down to corruption then they have lost a great opportunity, which may never be realised again not only for hosting these games but for hosting others in the future the football world cup or the olympics sad.

I always had the Americans down as the most paranoid country in the World but it looks like they have lost the crown.

There was talk of Athens not being ready for the 2004 olympics but its amazing how things can be turned around.

At least our athletes have given it a go.

The following raving and ranting may sound familiar...but they are not from any Indian newspaper or TV channel, from recent days or months. In fact they are all from the website of the Australian Age, and are all picked up from the website’s January 16, 2006 edition!!!!!!!!!! Read on...

"The Commonwealth Games are the most overhyped and overrated sporting event on the planet. They are obsolete and completely irrelevant. I would not go if I were given free tickets and chaffeured in a limo.

The Commonwealth Games are a total and utter waste of public money.

The Commonwealth Games have always been a celebration of mediocrity and these games will be no exception, I personally would not go if I lived next to the stadium and admission was free.

The Commonwealth Games is irrelevant because most of the events have fields of competitors that are so far off being world class.

Time this imperialist sideshow was disbanded and monies distributed to those in real need. How can you take an event of this magnitude seriously without Russia, USA, China et.al. It’s a total farce.

Actually, maybe the Games should be scrapped and the money used to feed the starving masses in Zimbabwe.

The Commonwealth Games is going to be an even worse experience for those of us who merely enjoy sport as opposed to worshiping it. I hope it rains for the entire period.

Hello all you whingers out there. Try being positive for once about something. You are all looking for errors and mistakes made by everyone else when the only ones pulling down society are yourselves. The Commonwealth Games are going to be great and I bet most of you are going to get caught up in the positive hype anyway. If you don’t want to be involved lock yourselves away or leave and let the ones who are positive about it, enjoy it."

I have to sort of agree with both sides on this. Australia is right to criticize the health and safety issues because India is still not up to international standards when it comes to infrastructure. I was born in India, but moved to the USA when I was little. When I go to India I always wonder why can't they don't clean up the place. It's not that hard to do. The problem is the government, it is too corrupt. The reforms need to continue and maybe in 10-20 years it will be better.

I also have to agree with Shruti above. The Indian citizens aren't concerned much with the games. They are instead working to support their family or the poor are trying to earn enough to eat. It's like trying to give a starving child an iPod. The only thing on his/her mind is food, and he/she doesn't care what the rest of the world doing. So unfortunately, this isn't putting pressure on the politicians, but the International community should put pressure on India to have more reforms if India wants to participate on the International Stage.

Read on: https://bit.ly/cluoQJ

Team Wales have posted the pics of their rooms at CWG Games Village - and that's that !!! https://bit.ly/dpyWtQ

It looks like Dehli have spent the money creating a better class of slum.

Woulnt go near the place to risky to the athlets health i should think australia has good sense more than we have typical britains . old saying lok before you leap .

24. At 1:24pm on 24 Sep 2010, Robert Gomez wrote:

8. At 12:43pm on 24 Sep 2010, ali1072 wrote:
The ones that pull out should not be selected for the Olympic Games. Real sportsmen of years ago competed in all conditions and were not pampered like todays non amateur competitors.If not ready find the teams' own hotels and training as in the real days of sport. The countries that pull out should be barred from staging any future games.
---------------Are you for real?? I think you'll find standards have been raised since medieval times and there are laws that have to be complied with now.The word SANITATION springs to mind here and Delhi is showing from what I can see, a distinct lack of it. Bad sanitation, as I'm not sure you're aware of, causes illnesses which can be pretty severe, not to mention very contagious, and faulty building work will and has made itself known. I know Delhi has had some rotten weather but this does not excuse the state of the toilets and rooms in general, nothing does.

Exactly why should countries that choose to pull out be barred from staging future games? Nobody turns up at a major event thinking that a bridge might collapse or the facilities will be below par - and people have every right to show concern. It's simple really, it's called having high standards.

If India wants to take on world class responsibilities such as hosting international sports events it must be prepared to deliver world class facilities. Australia is quite right to take India to task for it's failure to do so. No doubt it's humilating but India has no one to blame but itself. Indians should be more outraged by the corruption that has plagued the efforts to build such facilities than by Australia's honest and well-deserved criticism.

If its wrong then its wrong and the Aussies have every right to complain. The pictures on tv indicate that conditions in some accomodation blocks are absolutely deplorable.

Yes Australia is right because they are telling the truth from what they have seen. Further more is the what problems on ground are being shown in media are very less when compared to the total problems available just because they have to respect the Indian Government. What is being shown is the reality of India. From outside everything shown is good and from inside the reality is corruption, corruption and corruption, opportunists, laziness, greediness, no moral science etc and all this from top to bottom. Specially the politicians and the bosses are just interested in being shown as greatest and Big and in reality they do not know anything. India is surviving only on the Business persons, Agriculture and the population.

Of course Australia is right in criticizing. Why should we send our best and finest to a dump. Just call the whole thing off.

69. At 4:03pm on 24 Sep 2010, TheUglyAmerican wrote:
If they cancel the Commonwealth Games would anyone really notice?

**************************************************************************

Only about half the World's population. That wouldn't concern the Americans, though.

Here we are again with another sporting event out of Europe, the U.S.A, Australia but in India and we begin to hear all sorts of funny stories from the civilized World. The U.S.A and some other nations warned the world in this year that there was going to be terrorist attack in South Africa during the past World football games.
When will the civilized world stop this their dirty politics in the name of security and hygiene?

The Australians are perfectly entitled to be annoyed. They're simply telling it like it is, instead of resorting to the usual toadying diplomatic language preferred by most other countries.

How difficult can it be to build a few sports stadiums and some quite ordinary blocks of flats, given eight years in which to do it? Not very difficult, by world standards, but impossible by Indian standards, it turns out.

This debacle has seriously damaged India's international reputation. We're constantly being told that these problems are all caused by corrupt politicians and officials, but this is just a smokescreen. Even without this corruption, the manufacturing and construction standards, and the project management standards, would be just as poor as they are now. A state of chaos and indifference is the national mindset, and the skills just aren't there. It's the low standards and mediocre abilities of millions of Indian citizens that is the problem, not just a few corrupt politicians. And that's why India is not going to be a true super-power any time soon, despite the ambitious claims.

One shudders to think how India's nuclear missiles are built and maintained.

The one great thing we all possess by right is the opportunity to make choices. Thank God New Labour, despite trying very hard indeed never quite managed to deprive us of that right.All athletes have a choice whether to participate or not to. If anything goes amiss, they will never be able to say the choice to avoid risk wasn't there.