2 Feb 2011

Comm Games organisers witholding payments

6:23 am on 2 February 2011

Organisers of last year's Delhi Commonwealth Games have withheld payment to nine foreign companies for non-performance but one of them says they'll sue for non-payment.

Organisers say 45 foreign vendors were contracted for the controversy-ridden October Games and 36 of them had been paid nearly 1.15 billion rupees ($NZ 32.3 million) by January the 31st.

Jarnail Singh, who heads the organising committee, says part payments to nine foreign vendors have been withheld because of non-performance of the contracts.

He says those nine vendors have been paid 1.9 billion rupees but have had the remaining 178 million rupees withheld from them.

The Games were widely criticised by media and fans for the poor state of facilities and accommodation, particularly in the days leading up to its opening.

Singh, who heads the organising committee following the sacking of president Suresh Kalmadi and secretary general Lalit Bhanot last month over alleged financial irregularities, was not available to elaborate on the non-performance of contracts.