Commonwealth games

[Berkeley_Eagle]

THE Delhi Commonwealth Games are in turmoil after the ceiling of the weightlifting stadium collapsed and terrified world champion athletes withdraw.

The latest incident comes after the collapse of a pedestrian bridge which injured 23 people.

Australian World discus champion Dani Samuels revealed today that she would not go to Delhi amid fears for her safety

Speaking exclusively with The Daily Telegraph, she said increased terrorism threats had "frightened" her out of the Delhi Games, set to begin in 11 days.

English triple jump world champion Phillips Idowu also confirmed on Twitter that he will not defend his Commonwealth Games title because of fears over his safety, explaining that he has "children to think about".

All of those injured in the bridge incident - five of whom were critical - were labourers working on the 50m walkover connecting the main Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium to a carpark.

 

[Berkeley_Eagle]

Earlier story

YET another crisis in New Delhi yesterday threw further doubt on India's capacity to handle next month's Commonwealth Games - with a bridge collapse at the main stadium injuring at least 23 people.

All of the injured - five of whom were critical - were labourers working on the 50m pedestrian footbridge connecting the main Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium to a carpark.

The stadium is to host the opening ceremony and athletics for the October 3-14 games.

The workers were cementing foundations to strengthen the steel structure when it collapsed.

A spokesman for Delhi police told reporters there was no need to panic over the incident.

"There is no need to panic and the pictures on TV make it look much worse than it is," the spokesman said.

But Commonwealth Games Federation president Michael Fennell said yesterday that the "village is seriously compromised" with its condition shocking officials.


The accident came on the day the New Zealand team abandoned their quarters in the Athletes' Village.

The New Zealand delegation said the village would not be ready in time for the Games start, identifying problems with cleanliness, plumbing, electrical wiring, internet access and mobile phone coverage.

Construction work for the Games has been severely delayed and heavily criticised.

In July, India's chief anti-corruption body found a host of problems with construction work.

 

[ManlyBacker]

Wimps. Man or woman up and represent Australia. More chance of danger crossing Goerge Street. Maybe staying in a hotel isn't a great idea....

 

[tractorboy]

This whole thing has been a joke from the start, why on earth are they hosting it. We all knew last year and even before that it wouldn't work. Its a shame really

 

[Dan]

The big issue is the plumbing not being set up properly, athletes are scared ****less of the curry aftermath

 

[ManlyBacker]

The big issue is the plumbing not being set up properly, athletes are scared s**tless of the curry aftermath

I wonder if the athletics will go in the books as wind assisted times.

 

[tractorboy]

None of this is of course funny but a fair bit of irony isn't there in the bridge near the weightlifting centre collapsing. But I just hope if these games do go ahead( which I'd be surprised if they do) that everything all goes well.

 

[lsz]

I heard an interview with someone from the games committee describing the weight lifting collapse as "normal and part of any games process"

Pretty sure i do not remember that happening in Syd 2000

Also how can you justify the amount of money being spent on the games when it should be spent on other services etc

 

[Matabele]

I guess the positive is that it has kept dozens of undesireable caste out of the Nike Sweatshops for several months. 

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

Did anyone see the Today-Tonight story on the reporter being able to make a bomb (took that with a grain of salt) AND showing him walking through the security gates, without ID, with two machine toting security guards watching and then leaving the suitcase bomb over next to the main stadium...he then walks out, past more guards and not once was he pulled up (that I take seriously).

Scary scary stuff.......man up is bull****....this has the ingredients of being an absolute disaster.

 

[WAMF]

I certainly would not be going.
No life is worth a sporting medal. Blind Fred can see that Delhi is nothing short of a disaster waiting to happen. Why temp fate?

 

[Dan]

I certainly would not be going.
No life is worth a sporting medal. Blind Fred can see that Delhi is nothing short of a disaster waiting to happen. Why temp fate?

thats for the paracommonwealth games

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

I do realise that these type of shows do "go over the top"...and part of the show (the ease of him buying the bomb making stuff) was really not believable.

I probably think the athletes will be fine (they'll control them and their movements...although you could never anticipate an IED) but I would fear for anyone going to support their kids....theyt won;t be afforded the same security and you only have to go back to last years Mumbai attach to realise how easy it will be for a disaster to happen.

They (our Government) won't do anything, they don't want to risk offending India (a major trading partner) so the athletes will go (unless they pull out themseleves)

 

[The Gronk]

Bomb making gear is available at most nurseries as fertiliser.  Hardly a major scandal that it can be bought. 

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

Not that Gronk, they had a remote detonator....quite aware that most Fertiliser can be used as explosives.

But as I say it was the ease with which they went into and out of the main stadium that was the big problem.

 

[The Gronk]

yeah thats not good they can walk in - I just have no belief in anything ever reported on today tonight or a current affair. 

A remote detonator is basically a battery and spark plug connected to a garage door remote. 

I better not say too much more or someone will call john howard's fridge magnet number on me. 

 

[OneEyedEagle]

Give the athletes the choice of what they want to do.

What I can't understand is why after 7 years and with all the people population that India has why are they not ready now.

It should never have gone there in the first place

 

[Dan]

yeah thats not good they can walk in - I just have no belief in anything ever reported on today tonight or a current affair. 

A remote detonator is basically a battery and spark plug connected to a garage door remote. 

I better not say too much more or someone will call john howard's fridge magnet number on me. 

they are already onto you mate in regards to your Brett Stewart man love.

Any person who has a passing interest in electronics could rig  up a remote detonator from very simple parts you have around the home.

That is what makes terrorists etc so frightening, a lot of the things they use are so relatively low tech and easily home made, it's really quite scary

 

[The Gronk]

Last time I got a visa to the US there was a question along the lines of do you know how to make bombs?

I had to say yes - anyone who has sat some organic chemistry classes at uni would know how to do it.   

 

[Dan]

Last time I got a visa to the US there was a question along the lines of do you know how to make bombs?

I had to say yes - anyone who has sat some organic chemistry classes at uni would know how to do it.   

Anyone who has had a vindaloo at the end of a night out drinking knows how to make them....boom tish