India rejects security concerns over Commonwealth Games

An Australian Olympic great's warning of a Munich-style attack has been dismissed by organisers, who insist security has been "at the top of the agenda".

NEW DELHI // Commonwealth Games Federation chief Michael Fennell dismissed security concerns over Delhi 2010 after an Australian Olympic great warned of a Munich-style attack. The remarks from Dawn Fraser referring to the 1972 Munich Olympics massacre, in which 11 Israelis were killed by Palestinian militants, were condemned in her own country and caused anger in India. "Security has been on top of the agenda ever since we started preparations," Fennell told a packed media conference at the end of his two-day visit to inspect venues for the October 3-14 Games. "Security is of prime importance at any international event, and I can say the arrangements, planning and intelligence of those who deal with it in India are top-class. "We held a security briefing for the participating nations in end-July and I am happy to say there was an endorsement of the measures being taken by Indian authorities." Reacting to Fraser's comments, Fennell said: "I don't think Miss Fraser knows what is happening in India and her comments have already been refuted in Australia." Australia's Commonwealth Games chief rebuked 73-year-old Fraser, a triple Olympic 100m swimming freestyle champion, for her comments, which urged athletes to boycott the event. Perry Crosswhite, who was in Munich in 1972 as a member of Australia's basketball team, said Fraser was overplaying the threat. "I don't think Dawn's been to Delhi recently and I don't think she has the information we have, if she did I don't think she would have made the comments she did," Crosswhite told reporters. "We believe at this stage it will be safe and it will be secure." Fraser, in an interview with Australia's The Daily Telegraph newspaper, warned about food and sanitation in New Delhi and implied the Indian authorities could not be trusted with security. "I would hate to see another Munich, but with things getting worse and worse I have grave concerns. Can they prevent it?" she said. Fennell, however, appeared to agree with Fraser on the sanitation when he told reporters that the athletes' village lacked hygiene and cleanliness. "The village is the heartbeat of the Games and we have to ensure the welfare of our guests is taken care of," Fennell said. "I feel some buildings in the village could have been done better. The international zone of the village, like the dining room and kitchen, is behind time. "The sanitation has to improve and the hygiene has to be of the highest standards. There is need to address the roads around the village, the landscaping and the cleanliness. "Not enough attention is being paid to cleaning the area in and around the village." Fennell, who also inspected all 17 sports venues for the Games, said he was pleased with the progress that had been made. "I am satisfied to tell you that, by and large, all the venues are complete," he said. "Some remedial work still needs to be done, but that is nothing new six weeks ahead of a major event. "I leave Delhi feeling reassured that the preparations are solid, but I also leave with the knowledge that a tremendous amount still needs to be done," he said. Fennell was given a taste of the difficulties that workers faced as heavy rain flooded the city on Thursday, jamming roads, and many of the numerous building sites dotted across the city were quickly under water. With just 45 days to go, public sentiment has turned against the three-billion-dollar event that has been marred by charges of rampant corruption, dubious contracts and poor workmanship. Congress party president Sonia Gandhi waded into the Games debate for the first time on Thursday, urging ruling party colleagues to ensure the event was a success and warning of severe penalties for anyone involved in wrongdoing. "The success of the Games is that of our country -- not of any party or of an individual," Gandhi told the Congress parliamentary party. "The prestige of the nation is involved. "Let us not forget this even as we take steps to ensure accountability. I trust that as soon as the Games are over, the government will look into the allegations of malpractice and spare no one found to be involved in them." Two major state-run power firms, NTPC and Powergrid, withheld eight million dollars of combined sponsorship and demanded an audit of the four million dollars they had already put into the event. "The reporting of corruption has been of great concern for the CGF," Fennell said. "It needs to be thoroughly investigated by the Indian authorities." * Agence France-Presse