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NEW DELHI: The head of the Commonwealth Games said Thursday he was still worried that New Delhi would not be ready to host the event in October, due to delayed construction of venues.
Slow progress in building the facilities has been a major concern for months and Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) president Michael Fennell said enough time had to be available to test venues before the competition begins.
"There remains quite a high level of concern about them being completed in time so that proper test events can be held," he told reporters in New Delhi.
He said the main stadium, the swimming pool complex and the weightlifting arena were all badly behind schedule and would not be finished for months.
As delegates of competing nations inspected the host city, he said the government had given new assurances about completion deadlines.
"We look forward to receiving the venues on those dates," he said.
Fennell, who has had a stormy relationship with Indian organisers, said he was satisfied about security arrangements but that he remained concerned about ticketing, food quality, logistics and accommodation.
"There is a lot of work still to be done. We still have areas of concern and we have discussed these openly and frankly with the organising committee," he said.
Any pull-out by a large competing nation before the opening ceremony on October 3 would be major blow for India, which hopes the Games will highlight its recent economic development.
The Commonwealth Games, the biggest multi-sport event to be staged in India since the Asian Games in 1982, will feature 71 nations and territories mainly from the former British empire.
- AFP/yb
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