New Delhi, Sep 23 (IANS) Amid concerns of safety and hygiene expressed by some participating nations, Commonwealth Games Organising Committee (CGOC) chairman Suresh Kalmadi said Thursday that he has not received any letter of withdrawal from any country and also declared that all the 71 chefs de mission are now happier than ever before.
‘I have not received any letter from any member country. We had a meeting with all the chefs de mission in the morning and they are now happy,’ said Kalmadi.
Asked why he was lying low for the last three or four days, Kalmadi said: ‘I can’t be coming out to answer the media everyday. I have to do other work as well. After today’s meeting, all the chefs de mission are happier than ever before. I again asured everybody that everything will be ready on time.’
‘From today, everything is going to be fine. I know how to take criticism in my stride. I can assure you that we will have a good Games and we will take care of everybody and they will have a good time,’ he assured.
On the reportedly ‘filthy’ living conditions at the Games Village and overall lack of preparedness that had prompted some of the participating nations to delay sending their contingents, Kalmadi said: ‘Eighteen blocks were handed to us much before and the remaining 18 were handed to us few days back. The problem was with the last 18. A lot of people are working there now and the Village will be ready by tonight.’
‘All of them (international delegates) said that this is a great Village when they went to the international zone, dining zone and the kitchen. Everybody said they were out of the world, including (Commonwealth Games Federation CEO) Mr. Mike Hooper. I assure all the participating nations that it would be a great Games,’ he maintained.
Kalmadi also said that he will meet CGF president Mike Fennell, who also arrived in the city Thursday afternoon and will brief the Jamaican official on the progress of the Games. Fennell had given a 24-hour deadline Tuesday to clean up the Games Village.
Kalmadi said that he is helpless if one or two foreign athletes decide to pull out because of security concerns.
‘There are two-three pullouts. But security is well in place but if some people have their own perceptions, I can’t do anything about it. All the buses from Village to venues would be escorted by police and full security would be in place. Whatever their doubts, we have cleared them. Teams will start arriving tomorrow. We are in a much happier position now,’ he said.
