INDIA: COMMONWEALTH GAMES 2010 - Games will create a legacy for India says Organising Committee chief Suresh Kalmadi

Record ID: 1377098

  • Title: INDIA: COMMONWEALTH GAMES 2010 - Games will create a legacy for India says Organising Committee chief Suresh Kalmadi
  • Date: 1st October 2010
  • Summary: NEW DELHI, INDIA (SEPTEMBER 30, 2010) (ANI - NO ACCESS BBC) (*** SOME FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY ***) CHAIRMAN OF COMMONWEALTH GAMES ORGANISING COMMITTEE SURESH KALMADI ARRIVING AT THE GLOBAL SPORTS SUMMIT KALMADI DELEGATES SITTING AT THE SUMMIT GLOBAL SPORTS SUMMIT IN SESSION SURESH KALMADI SITTING AMONG PANELLISTS DELEGATE SITTING KALMADI WALKING TOWARDS THE PODIUM DELEGATES SITTING (SOUNDBITE) (English) SURESH KALMADI, CHAIRMAN, COMMONWEALTH GAMES ORGANISING COMMITTEE, SAYING: "The Games are for 15 days. But all the arrangements done are not for 15 days. It is for the lifetime of Delhi. It is a great legacy for Delhi. The sports infrastructure that has come up is a great legacy for the country." AUDIENCE SITTING (SOUNDBITE) (English) SURESH KALMADI, CHIEF, COMMONWEALTH GAMES ORGANISING COMMITTEE, SAYING: "Because they had heard so much, people were asking 'can we stay in a hotel?' I said, 'you have a choice. First come, stay in a hotel, and send your delegation to the village, and then come back. And then, wherever you want to stay, we will allow you that'. Not one country agreed to stay in the hotel. Everybody has shifted to the Games Village. Already 5,000 athletes have come. All the 71 countries are participating. There is not one country that has backed out." DELEGATE SITTING (SOUNDBITE) (English) SURESH KALMADI, CHAIRMAN, COMMONWEALTH GAMES ORGANISING COMMITTEE, SAYING: "I have said, I am ready for any inquiry for the Games, any inquiry -- but an inquiry must be held. I am saying an inquiry must be held. And let me tell you, I am looking into only the Organising Committee of the Games. My budget is 1,600 crores. This 30-40000 crores you yell about, I have nothing to do without it." KALMADI SPEAKING KALMADI WALKING ON STAGE
  • Embargoed: 15th October 2010 22:03
  • Keywords:
  • Location: India
  • Country: India
  • Topics: Sport
  • Reuters ID: LVA1QUSM8YRS9XJXNNSREK41M0K5
  • Aspect Ratio: 4:3
  • Story Text: The Chairman of Organising Committee (OC) Suresh Kalmadi defended the preparations and said the the Commonwealth Games will leave a legacy to India during a speech at the Global Sports Summit: Turf -2010 on Thursday (September 30) in New Delhi.
    He also said that he is ready to face any inquiry into the reported financial irregularities and mismanagement by his office (CGOC).
    An estimated $6 billion has already been spent on the Games and associated infrastructure facilities which included a new airport terminal, extension of metro railway network, construction of flyovers and widening of highways as well as extensive clean-up of the city.
    Praising the strengthened infrastructure, he asserted that the Games would leave a legacy for the nation.
    "The Games are for 15 days. But all the arrangements done are not for 15 days. It is for the lifetime of Delhi. It is a great legacy for Delhi. The sports infrastructure that has come up is a great legacy for the country," said Suresh Kalmadi.
    The Games have become a major embarrassment for the world's largest democracy, where infrastructure projects had progressed slowly, leaving a dent on the country's economic growth.
    The OC was prompted to scramble against the clock to save the Games after some of the leading athletes from different countries decided not to participate and a couple of participating nations threatened to pull out unless authorities cleaned up the game venues.
    Dismissing speculations, Kalmadi said the athletes had voluntarily chosen to stay in the Games Village, and that no nation had backed out from the sporting spectacle.
    "Because they had heard so much, people were asking 'can we stay in a hotel?" I said, 'you have a choice. First come, stay in a hotel, and send your delegation to the village, and then come back. And then, wherever you want to stay, we will allow you that'. Not one country agreed to stay in the hotel. Everybody has shifted to the Games Village. Already 5000 athletes have come. All the 71 countries are participating. There is not one country that has backed out," said Kalmadi.
    The event, already the most expensive Commonwealth Games ever with official estimates of $3 billion, has been marred by charges of rampant corruption, dubious contracts and poor workmanship in the past few months.
    Defending himself, Kalmadi said he was ready to face any investigation into the alleged deals.
    "I have said, I am ready for any inquiry for the Games, any inquiry -- but an inquiry must be held. I am saying an inquiry must be held. And let me tell you, I am looking into only the Organising Committee of the Games. My budget is 1,600 crores. This 30-40000 crores you yell about, I have nothing to do without it," Kalmadi added.
    India hopes to use the Games to display its growing economic and political influence, rivalling neighbour China, which put on a spectacular 2008 Beijing Olympics.
    Apart from 7,000 athletes from 71 teams representing 54 Commonwealth member states India is expecting a huge inflow of spectators and tourists during the Games.
    The Commonwealth Games 2010 will be held from 3 to 14 October in New Delhi.
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