Around 100 stray dogs caught from Games Village, other venues
Around 100 stray dogs have been rounded up from the Commonwealth Games Village and other Games venues by the capital's civic authority in coordination with an NGO, an official said on Friday.
The stray dogs were having a free run of the Village and other areas, raising concerns among participating countries. They were rounded up by the the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and Friendicoes SECA (Society for the Eradication of Cruelty to Animals) and temporarily relocated to a dog sterilization centre at Ghazipur. Similar drives are being carried out in all the 17 Games venues.
Gautam Barat, co-founder Friendicoes, which has volunteered for the cause with MCD, told IANS: "The rounded up stray dogs will be released in the same venue after the Games are over. Till then they will be kept in the Ghazipur sterilization centre."
Following complaints that dogs were straying into the Games Village complex, the drive was carried out by the civic body's veterinary department since Thursday. Two ambulances with six dog catchers are going around the venue to round up the dogs.
"The task was voluntarily taken up by Friendicoes. As an animal welfare organisation, we want to ensure that captured dogs are not harmed in the name of the Games. They will be maintained in a proper manner till the Games are over," Barat added.
Once taken to the Ghazipur sterilization centre, each dog will be given a token with details of the area from where it was picked up. This will help the civic authorities to later release the canines at their previous locations.
According to MCD sources, there are over 280,000 stray dogs in Delhi. The national capital reports some 15-20 dog bites every day, the sources added.
Kiwis finally decide to fly to Delhi
Battered by pull-outs and threats, CWG had some relief when 'trouble kids' New Zealand confirmed their participation. The decision was taken by the NZ Olympic Committee shortly after the Prime Minister John Key had said that he would have no issues going to Delhi and be a part of the CWG if he had the chance to do so.
Wellington: The New Zealand contingent will participate in the Delhi Commonwealth Games after the country's Olympic Committee gave a green to signal Friday, ending days of speculation following concerns of hygiene and security.
The decision to attend the Oct 3-14 Games was announced Friday by New Zealand Olympic Committee (NZOC) president Mike Stanley and secretary-general Barry Maister.
Earlier in the day, New Zealand Prime Minister John Key received an update on the security in Delhi and said the decision to send the New Zealand team still rests with the New Zealand Olympic Committee (NZOC). He said he would go if he gets choose his own sport.
"Yeah, if I could pick my own sport, yeah I would go," Key was quoted as saying by the New Zealand Herald. "Obviously, the Olympic Committee feels that they need a bit more time before they can make a final call on the team's participation."
Key added, "It's very unlikely that New Zealand would pull out on its own. If we are likely to not send our team, then it will be because a large number of like-minded countries form the same view."
Sydney: India "shouldn't have been awarded the (Commonwealth) Games", Australian Olympic Committee president John Coates said Friday. "In hindsight, no, they shouldn't have been awarded the Games," AAP quoted Coates as saying.
"The problem is the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) is under-resourced. It doesn't have the ability to monitor the progress of cities in the way the Olympic Committee does."
The Commonwealth Games Federation has a staff of just five with which it has to monitor India's preparations. The International Olympic Committee (IOC), on the other hand, employs more than 400 employees.
The official said the IOC has contracts with London (2012) and Rio de Janeiro (2016) to meet deadlines regarding Games preparations. He added: "If that had been the case here (in Delhi), then certainly something would have been done a lot sooner because obviously the venues are not ready."
India lost focus along the way
The run up to the Commonwealth Games to be held in New Delhi Oct 3-14 has been dogged by construction delays and lack of preparedness. While dismissing the fact that protracted monsoon season in Delhi could have added to the delays, he said: "You can't ever cut any slack when your focus should be on the best conditions for the athletes."
Coates said that he wouldn't recommend any team to stay home. "I'm certainly not going to be drawn into making a commentary on whether Australia and other countries should pull out from this part of the world," he said.
Some 7,000 participants and officials from 71 countries and territories are expected to attend the Oct 3-14 Commonwealth Games, India's biggest sporting event after the 1982 Asian Games it hosted in New Delhi.
CWG's pull-out woes continue. Cycling champions now join the list
The list of big names pulling out of the CWG 2010 seems unrelenting. A few months ago, the organisers were dreading if Usain Bolt will pull out. Now, the situation has become so bad that even stopping the smaller names from pulling out is proving to be a futile exercise. This morning, current and former world and Olympic champions have announced their withdrawal.
London: There is no stopping individual pullouts from the crisis-ridden Commonwealth Games with four leading cyclists becoming the latest to withdraw citing "fears of catching dengue fever and the unsanitary condition of the athletes' village".
Welsh world and Olympic champion Geraint Thomas, Isle of Man rider Peter Kennaugh and the England pair of Ben Swift and Ian Stannard, said they were opting out of the Games as they feared for their health after reading reports about the dengue outbreak and the "filthy" conditions at the Games Village.
"It's a massive disappointment first and foremost but with the hygiene and the risk of getting ill, it was a massive risk," said Thomas, who competes in the 4,000 metres individual pursuit, the road race and the time trial.
'Saving CWG is like saving a Titanic'
Wellington: New Zealand have already delayed the departure to Delhi and it would be another 24 hours before they take a final call on whether to participate in the troubled Commonwealth Games or become the first country to pull out altogether.
New Zealand's national team manager Dave Currie said attempts to ensure that the facilities were up to the mark were like "like trying to stop the Titanic". The New Zealand Olympic Committee will receive a report from its President Mike Stanley and secretary general Barry Maister on Delhi's preparedness today after the duo's arrival from the Indian capital.
New Zealand delayed the travel plans of their athletes by two days to give the beleaguered organisers time to spruce up the Games Village, which has been lambasted as "filthy and uninhabitable" by international delegates.
Former world champion too pulls out
Melbourne: Former world champion road cyclist Greg Henderson today became the first selected New Zealand athlete to withdraw from the Commonwealth Games, saying there are "too many risks" in going to Delhi for the troubled event.
Henderson, who was left shaken after seeing pictures showing "filthy" conditions at the Games Village, has informed the New Zealand cycling body about his decision to withdraw.
"There are just too many risks and in this situation the cons outweigh the pros. Who knows exactly what's gone on there," said Henderson, who is here to compete in the road cycling world championships next week.
"Realistically it's probably going to be OK and the Games will go on. But where I am in my career, at the moment the negatives outweigh the pros," he was quoted as saying by 'The Sydney Morning Herald'.
Indian athletes embarrassed
M.C.Mary Kom, who recently won her fifth world women's boxing title and is also one of the brand ambassadors of the Games, said she is extremely sad with the recent developments.
"I am very sad. India has been insulted by the criticism of the Games Village," Mary Kom told IANS. I hope everything is ready by Oct 3 otherwise it will be a big embarrassment for our country. I am not participating because women's boxing does not feature in Commonwealth Games, but I am keeping my fingers crossed."
India's ace shuttler Saina Nehwal expressed her views on the CWG fiasco. "I am disappointed that many athletes have pulled out from the Games. This will make the field less challenging. But as a player my job is to work hard and perform well on the given day. I am ready for any challenge," said Saina
India's top squash player Saurav Ghoshal feels India had a great opportunity to show to the world that it can host a multi-disciplinary sporting event and hopes the last minutes glitches will be taken care of.
"I have been tracking the developments in the capital. It was really sad to see the (pedestrian) bridge (at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium) coming down (Tuesday). The image of our country has taken a beating. The organisers are trying to plug the holes. I hope they finish everything on time," World No 26 Ghoshal told IANS.
'Punish the wrongdoers severely'
The Games Organisers invited unremitting negative publicity after being levelled with corruption charges and the venues missing several deadlines.
Newly crowned world wrestling champion Sushil Kumar, who is also a Games brand ambassador, said there should be a crackdown on people involved in corruption.
"We got all the support from the government. So, I have nothing to complain on that front. But it is sad to see such negativity when the Games are just 10 days away. In my view, severe punishment should be handed out to people involved in any wrongdoing," Sushil maintained.
Meanwhile, ace shooter Ronjan Sodhi, who won gold in the men's double trap in Turkey, seemed optimistic about India hosting a successful Commonwealth Games.
"There are problems with the Village but the stadiums are fantastic. I have seen the shooting range myself, it is right up there among the best in the world. The small problems should be sorted out by the time the Games kick off. I am sure we will be able to pull it off," Sodhi said.
Bollywood calls it a dark comedy
Meanwhile, the Commonwealth Games, which are under fire from all quarters, on Thursday were on Bollywood radar too with realistic film maker Madhur Bhandarkar comparing the Games with a dark comedy.
"I think a dark comedy film title GAMES is being played in CWG where bridge is collapsing, ceiling coming down," Bhandarkar tweeted.
Actor Arjun Rampal, tweeted, Rs. 70,000 crore spent on CWG, Sensex shoots past 20K but poverty line in India stays constant. Is this a democracy or just plain Hypocrisy?
While actress Shilpa Shetty feels this was a great opportunity to make our country proud but unfortunately CWG has not brought us the pride and honour we thought it would.
Arjun tweeted, the explanation for the overhead bridge given is that it wasn't meant for officials or sportsmen but for the common man...Unbelievable. Kalmadi and the whole gang need to explain this is just sad as this is not my India.
The lack of hygiene and the overall state of the Games Village also drew flak as New Zealand and Scotland expressed shock at the unsafe and unfit accommodation.
On similar lines, veteran singer Asha Bhonsle tweeted, CWG construction dirt being dusted under the carpet or into the bin?
CWG will also become recipient of great Indian phrase, Sab Chalta Hai, Chalne Do. Aage Badho Bhai. Idhar Sochne Ka Time Nahi Hai ("Everything will be fine. Keep moving as there is not time to think)," Asha tweeted.
Anand, Paes and Usha: Just focus on Games
Former sprint queen P.T. Usha feels it is indifferent form and injuries and not the recent controversies that have resulted in the pullout of some top foreign athletes from the Oct 3-14 Commonwealth Games.
A number of athletes have withdrawn citing reasons ranging from unhygienic conditions and security fears in the Indian capital.
"I do not think it has anything to do with the security or controversies related to the Games. Some of them are injured and others are not in form and therefore not willing to participate. The discuss thrower (Dani Samuels) who pulled out competed only twice this year," Usha said on the sidelines of the Olympic Gold Quest's launch of 'Power your Champion' programme.
"I would like to say to the Indian athletes to concentrate on their performance. I know they will be feeling bad with all these controversies and players pulling out. They have worked very hard for the Games and I feel they should focus on their performance and not let all this affect them."
World chess champion Viswanathan Anand also felt the Indian athletes should not get distracted by the brouhaha surrounding the Games.
"I would not like to talk about what all is happening in the Commonwealth Games. I just hope that our athletes do not get distracted by all this and focus on winning lots of medals for our country," Anand said.
Multiple Grand Slam winner Leander Paes resonated the same view. "I know right now there is a lot happening around the Commonwealth Games. But I would not like to meddle into all this. I am focussed on representing my country and doing my best at the Games," he said.
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