25 Sep 2010

India should never have been got Games: Australian official

3:23 pm on 25 September 2010

India should never have been awarded the Commonwealth Games - that's the view of Australian Olympic Committee president John Coates.

The Games are due to start in Delhi next weekend despite the event being beset by problems, mainly caused by construction delays which has prompted some nations to threaten withdrawal.

Coates says the Commonwealth Games Federation, which is in charge of the event, is under-resourced and doesn't have the ability to monitor the progress of cities the way the Olympic Committee does.

The Commonwealth Games Federation has a staff of five as it attempts to monitor India's preparations while the IOC employs more than 400 staff.

Coates dismissed Delhi's protracted monsoon season as adding to construction delays but says while the village was evidence that India shouldn't have been given the Games he doesn't believe nations should withdraw.