31 Dec 2009

Games boycott report dismissed

8:37 am on 31 December 2009

England has dismissed a report that its team could pull out of next year's Commonwealth Games in New Delhi due to security concerns.

The Daily Telegraph newspaper had quoted British government sources as saying England might boycott the Games.

However, English Commonwealth Games officials issued a statement saying that's definitely not the case.

An attack by gunmen on the Sri Lanka cricket team bus in Lahore last March sparked fears that sport could become a target in the region.

England pulled out of the world badminton championships in India in August citing a "specific terrorist threat" but the tournament ran smoothly and the British sports minister later expressed regret to his Indian counterpart.

More than 170 people were killed in the Mumbai attacks in November 2008.

More than 8,000 athletes from 71 nations are due to compete in India, from 3 - 14 October, 2010.

Glasgow is due to host the 2014 Commonwealth Games.