‘Where are ComGames detractors?’
COMMONWEALTH Games Federation (CGF) president Mike Fennell bemoans the fact that despite this year’s event in New Delhi being a resounding success, none of the pre-Games detractors, including the international press, has apologised or conceded they were wrong.
There was much speculation days ahead of the Games in October that the event held for the first time in India would be cancelled because of a range of issues, from a dirty athletes’ village to a scandal involving members of the organising committee.
“There was a lot of hostile publicity at the start and unfortunately, not enough complimentary publicity at the end, although the Games were extremely successful,” said Fennell, who was guest speaker at the Rotary Club of Kingston’s weekly luncheon at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel yesterday.
“If something had happened, you’d have heard all about it long ago, but the fact that nothing happened is not news,” he added.
Fennell added that at least one highly-ranked official had written to him a few days before the start of the Games asking when the announcement of the cancellation would come and said to this day the official had not returned to mention how exceptional the event turned out to be.
The 2010 event in India was the largest in CG history, with more than 4,000 athletes and 2,000 officials participating.
“Delhi put on a fantastic Games; they were exceptional and exceeded all our expectations. India can be very proud… there were no security issues,”
Fennell added.
“The athletes village was one of the finest I’ve ever experienced for any games. The food was excellent… I was staying in a hotel and I chose to go down to the village most of the time because the food was really delightful,” said Fennell, who has led the CGF since 1997.
He noted that on the bill of the Local Organising Committee and the Indian government, all the athletes were treated to a trip to the Indian city of Agra to visit the historic Taj Mahal, which was two to three hours by train from the athletes’ village.
“I’ve never seen such facilities for any Games,” he stated.
He noted that the city has left a great legacy for its more than 17 million inhabitants, including improved local domestic water supply, 26 fly-overs along roads in the city, and 17 modern sports venues.
“It was part of the national plans in the city, but they felt obliged to bring it forward in time for the Games,” Fennell revealed.
He said the development of human capital with the over 22,000 persons trained as volunteers was the most important legacy of the Games.
The Scottish city of Glasgow will host the 2014 edition.