27 Sep 2010

NZ officials test-sleep Games team's quarters

7:01 pm on 27 September 2010

The New Zealand Olympic Committee says officials slept in the New Zealand team's quarters in the problem-plagued Delhi Commonwealth Games village on Sunday night.

The committee expects the quarters will be safe, sanitary and secure in time for the arrival of its athletes.

President Mike Stanley, who toured the village last week, says New Zealand officials have even pitched in to help with the cleaning of the premises.

Concerns about the electricity supply have been mostly allayed, he says, though some issues - such as the operation of fire doors - are still to be sorted out.

He's confident, he says, that the quarters will be up to standard for athletes by Tuesday - but if they're not, the athletes will stay in hotels.

Several teams now in residence

Competitors from about 20 of the 71 countries taking part have so far arrived in Delhi for the Games, which open on Sunday.

The Chief Minister of Delhi, Sheila Dixit, has said the village will be ready on Wednesday, four days before the opening. Thousands of workers are racing to get the teams' accommodation finished.

Australia's athletes began arriving on Monday, but team bosses were not ruling out the possibility that more Australians may decide to pull out, the ABC reports.

On Sunday, cyclist Travis Meyer and table-tennis player Stephanie Sang became the second and third Australian athletes to withdraw because of concerns about health and security.

Participants from Canada, Kenya, Scotland and Wales have taken up residence in the village, with Welsh chef de mission Chris Jenkins saying that most of his athletes are pleased with their accommodation.

The English team, which had checked into hotels because their accommodation was not ready, have moved some support staff into the village. The athletes were to follow on Monday.