NEW DELHI // Fears about unhealthy conditions at the athletes' village have abated and venue preparations appear to be going smoothly, leaving athletes a few days to actually concentrate on their sports before the Commonwealth Games open tomorrow.
The run-up to the event has been plagued by problems, and last week the games were in doubt altogether as the athletes' village lagged behind schedule and drew sharp criticism from many of the countries entered in the event.
Some called it "uninhabitable". Now, however, the attention is turning to competition. "We just want to get on with it," said Mark Knowles, an Australian field hockey player and a two-time Olympian. Competition is scheduled to start on Monday in a variety of sports, including swimming. The athletics competition opens on Wednesday. Field hockey, probably the most popular sport in India that is on the program this year, will be played every day.
"We're probably going to be playing in the best hockey stadium in the world," said Knowles, who was on the 2006 team that won the Commonwealth Games gold at home in Melbourne. "There is no worries from us, for sure." Seventeen sports are on the program, with 272 gold medals to be won - 143 for the men, 123 for the women and six in mixed or open competitions. The Indian boxer Vijender Singh, who won a bronze medal at the Beijing Olympics two years ago, said it was good to get the focus back on the sport.
"Finally, we are being asked about our chances," said Singh, who will compete in the 75kg category. "These games are important for us because we will have the support of spectators. Our family members, friends and relatives will all be there to watch us. We hope to inspire a whole generation of youngsters." The swimmer Cameron van der Burgh will replace Caster Semenya as South Africa's flag bearer at the opening ceremony tomorrow.
South Africa's Olympic Committee announced yesterday that Van der Burgh would have the honour after the controversial world-champion runner Semenya was ruled out with a back injury. Off the field, one of the country's most daunting tasks is keeping the games secure. India avoided a potentially serious ordeal on Thursday when a court ordered the Hindu and Muslim communities to divide a disputed holy site in the town of Ayodhya, southeast of New Delhi near the border with Nepal. A day after the decision, no major violent reaction had been reported.
In New Delhi, Indian authorities have deployed nearly 100,000 police officers and soldiers. The Lowy Institute, an Australian think tank, said yesterday that, while smaller attacks at the Commonwealth Games are still a concern, a large-scale terror attack was unlikely. "These are now hard targets, and plots are likely to be thwarted or aborted," said Rory Medcalf, the Lowy Institute's international security program director.
He said smaller attacks away from venues might still be possible.
* Associated Press
