New Delhi, July 28 (IANS) Legendary British athlete Sebastian Coe, chief of the 2012 London Olympic Games Organising Committee, remarked tongue in cheek that it was nice to find the Commonwealth Games organisers in a relaxed mood with the event round the corner.
Coe, who is part of the delegation with visiting British Prime Minister David Cameron, said with barely 64 days left for the Oct 3-14 Games, the organisers had a relaxed look whereas his own team is on tenterhooks with two years to go for the Olympics.
‘Very nice to see the organising committee so calm with just 64 days left whereas we are on our toes with two years to go for the 2012 London Olympics,’ said Coe, after a meeting with the officials at the Games organising committee at the headquarters here.
The 53-year-old middle distance runner, who won four Olympic medals including gold at the 1980 Moscow and 1984 Los Angeles, was, however, confident that Delhi will host one of the best Commonwealth Games.
When asked about the delays in construction of venues, Coe said: ‘These things happen everywhere and in all Games. But after what I have seen, I must compliment the organising committee for the great work that they have done.’
Coe, whose mother was born in India, went on to add that hosting a mega event is a complex problem for all organising committees.
‘With my experience I can tell you that every city works very hard for such mega Games. We did the same during the 2002 Games in Manchester,’ he said.
Coe said Manchester also faced similar problems like Delhi, but all were sorted out in time.
‘Hosting a multi-discipline event is a very critical task. The problems never get solved quickly, but they somehow get sorted out. I wish the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee all the best and hope to see a dazzling show,’ he said.
