The Commonwealth Games in trouble....

[Buzz]

The facilities that were supposed to be constructed for the games are not done and many athletes and countries are threatening to pull out. That is just the begining of the problems. Personally as an ethnic India person I hope that India can still pull off the games and prove everyone wrong but it does not look good at this point. Here is a list of some of the setbacks:

1) Major sponsors pulled out at the beginning of August.
2) Some high profile athletes also pulled out.
3) A bridge constructed for the games collapsed yesterday injuring workers.
4) The athletes village is being described as in a disgusting condition.
5) New Delhi has also had the worst monsoon rains since 1978.
6) There are also all sorts of corruption allegations.
7) Most facilities are still not finished.

http://www.torontosun.com/sports/oth.../15426276.html
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/oth...=feeds-newsxml
http://decisionstats.wordpress.com/2...-wealth-games/
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/i...ow/6254006.cms
http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report...llapse_1441335

[LuckyCharm]

Not much to say except that's all really fecked up. Hope things get on track soon.

[Buzz]

Oooppps.... Canada is considering withdrawing from the Commonwealth games and some other top athletes have also withdrawn today. The first competitors are supposed to be arriving tomorrow.

[Beefcake]

Sorry to hear that. I hope that something can be done to rescue these games for India, because failures like this leave an enormous stain, and make it an uphill battle to win events in the future. [Just ask Atlanta.]

Now, sorry to make light, but this scenario -- worrying about failure to successfully implement a huge sporting event -- made me think of a spittakingly funny line from 30 Rock this season from the (Brit) Michael Sheen character, who was (may yet be?) Liz's eager "Settling Spouse".

We're not prepared

[Angelskates]

Delhi stance may still change: Arbib

[Quintuple]

8) break out of Dengue fever
9) collapse of weightlifting venue
10) collapse of swimming venue ceiling
11) Australian journalist successfully walked giant suitcase of explosives into the main stadium as a test
12) two tourists just shot in the area, and the shooters said something about being prepared while the organizers are not

If I were a competing athlete, I would not board the friggin' plane. Hell no!

[Buzz]

Here are some photographs from the BBC website of the athlete's village. And they are extremely disturbing images.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/comm...10/9025907.stm

[Garden Kitty]

Cyclist from the Isle of Man withdraws over the accomodation conditions, and Team Sky (his pro team) is quick to say they only make "recommendations" and didn't pressure him to quit.

[genegri]

Thank goodness it's not the Olympics Games.

[SpeedySucks]

Thank goodness it's not the Olympics Games.

For a lot of these athletes, though, this IS their Olympics.

[genegri]

^ Very sad indeed. But at least not as many athletes are affected.

Wonder where it went wrong?

[Orable]

My co-worker, who's from Delhi, has been talking about this for months - apparently, they only started (started) building a lot of this infrastructure last year! One year is not enough develop the roads, bridges, housing, arenas, etc for the Commonwealth Games. He thinks that India's infamous red tape bureacracy held things up. Pitiful

Is there an alternative place to hold the games, like maybe in Australia or NZ?

[allezfred]

Is there an alternative place to hold the games, like maybe in Australia or NZ?

It's way too late for that.

[Garden Kitty]

British cyclists pull out of the Games, although they again empahsize these are individual decisions by the riders and not an action by the federation.

[AragornElessar]

Just saw the pictures of the inside of the Village and...Disgusting doesn't even come close to describing it.

This is the first I've heard of them only starting to build what was needed last year. They've had what? Six or seven years to get ready for this?

And to think, the only other city bidding for these Games was Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Me thinks we'd be welcoming Athletes right now w/open arms instead of what's happening in India.

What an unholy mess!!

[LuckyCharm]

8) break out of Dengue fever
9) collapse of weightlifting venue
10) collapse of swimming venue ceiling
11) Australian journalist successfully walked giant suitcase of explosives into the main stadium as a test
12) two tourists just shot in the area, and the shooters said something about being prepared while the organizers are not

If I were a competing athlete, I would not board the friggin' plane. Hell no!

I just now read the article. Before that, I thought your post was meant as a joke. Looks like the games ain't gonna happen. So sad.

[Parsley Sage]

And to think, the only other city bidding for these Games was Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Me thinks we'd be welcoming Athletes right now w/open arms instead of what's happening in India.

Or we'd still be trying to figure out where to build the stadium.

It's so sad to think of all the things my city has missed out through losing the games to New Delhi.

[Orable]

It's way too late for that.

That's too bad Are they gonna cancel the CWG?

[UMBS Go Blue]

I did read an article somewhere that the Singapore federation representative laughed out loud when asked by journalists whether Singapore could be a fill-in host. Singapore hosted a world youth olympics event just about a month ago.

Now, the Games might very well continue in Delhi, with much-reduced athlete participation as more and more athletes drop out... but if there's any place that could fill in as a downscaled replacement site (or site where individual sport federations decide to hold "alternate meets," as has been mooted for swimming), it's Singapore. Excellent infrastructure, skilled at logistics, and the most impressively professional city (as far as hosting visitors and hosting business - right down to your average hotel staff, taxi driver, bus driver, or courteous directions-giving policeman on the street) that I've ever been to.

[AragornElessar]

Or we'd still be trying to figure out where to build the stadium.

It's so sad to think of all the things my city has missed out through losing the games to New Delhi.

Yeah, I know. I still can't believe that Hamilton's *still* bickering over that one. Especially considering you could end up losing your CFL Franchise to boot and w/the History of the Ti Cats, that would be beyond sad.