Like an Indian wedding which begins with lots of promises, descends into chaos and culminates in a spectacular show of prosperity, the Commonwealth Games in Delhi has witnessed a turnaround in perceptions as athletes and officials checked in this week for India’s coming out party.
But critics warned that the Games when it is over will expose Indian politicians and bureaucrats for their rank greed and total incompetence.
For now at least, arriving athletes and officials have praised the frantic efforts by the Commonwealth Games organisers to improve faciliities at the Games Village, get rid of stray dogs, snakes and monkeys and provide a security blanket for the Oct 3-14 event.
The 19th edition of the Games has attracted some 7,000 athletes and officials from 71 countries and territories in the Delhi Commonwealth Games, India’s largest sporting event since the 1982 Asian Games.
“The rooms are the best ever provided in any other Commonwealth Games. The food is also great. The international zone is a great place,” said Nigerian chef de mission Elias Usman Gora.
Gora’s remarks echoed those of South African High Commissioner Harris Mbulelo Sithembile Majeke, who had created a stir last Sunday by saying a snake had been found in an apartment allotted to his country’s athletes. He sang a completely different tune a day later.
“With only five days to go before the Commonwealth Games begin, we remain optimistic that India will deliver a memorable Games,” Majeke told reporters.
As the athletes got a measure of the Village, helicopters hovered overhead as security was tightened on the roads and a fresh alert was issued to the states against terror strikes.
Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have also been placed on standby to guard against airborne intrusions, a security official told IANS.
IANS reported that the first batch from Scotland, who had delayed their arrival, moved into the Village and they looked pleased with the facilities.
“We are really happy with all the facilities. We are having a good time here. We went to the archery venue and we found lush green field was really nice. The facility is up there with some of the best fields I have seen at the World championships,” Scottish archer Claudine Jenning told IANS.
The food, she added, was excellent.
Said Mike Summer from the Falkland Islands: “I came on Sep 22... I have checked the accommodation several times and am now satisfied with the progress.”
On the flip side, an unhappy Kenyan camp said it expected more.
“We came yesterday (Sunday). Our experience has been average,” a Kenyan delegate complained to IANS.
“The rooms could have been cleaner,” added Ruth Mueni Nzioka, a Kenyan team official.
The Canadian delegation which last week delayed the departure of their athletes has now expressed satisfaction with progress being made at the athletes’ village.
If the progress is sustained, the Commonwealth Games will be held without any further setbacks, Scott Stevenson, director of Sport for Commonwealth Games Canada, said in New Delhi.
He said Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit has brought “a change in the culture of preparations” by bringing in her own staff, including engineers, to manage the project.
“These employees were given the authority to act, to decide upon the things that needs to get done in concert with us and ensure all the necessary equipment and man power would be on site to accomplish that task,’’ Stevenson said.
“We are starting to now be in a better position to turn our focus toward sport again, which is really exciting because it is what most of us are all about,’’ he said.
“What you are seeing is now, for the first time, the injection or projection of significant political leadership in the organization of the Games. Frankly, this is leadership that has been lacking,’’ said Andrew Pipe, president of Commonwealth Games Canada