The chief organiser of the 2010 Commonwealth Games held in the Indian capital, Delhi, has been arrested on corruption charges.

Suresh Kalmadi was removed from his post in January and has been under investigation over allegations of corruption.

He denies any wrongdoing.

The build-up to the Games was marred by revelations of sleaze, incompetence and missed construction deadlines.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-13186190

Preparations: Sure, there's no getting around the fact that the lead-up to them was, in every sense of the word, an utter shambles. A textbook case of how not to prepare for the games. And now right up there with the Melbourne '56 and Athens '04 Olympics as a cautionary tale of why learning the ropes from past organisers, and planning well ahead, and keeping a close tab on progress, is important. But that said, it's not the be-all-and end-all either. Like those earlier Olympics, it soon proved that premature judgments of failure tend to come and bite back. And that wasn't helped by he media hysteria that arose in the weeks leading up which went far beyond the point of being objective and really was starting to get just plain nasty and over-the-top. Legitimate concern about crumbling bridges and the village cleanliness and readiness is one thing - but hoax beat-ups about smuggled bombs and mad scrambles on the orders of Sydney or London-based news desks to find footage, any footage, of stray dogs or beggars or athletes with stomach bugs was definitely crossing the line and turned real discusion of real issues into an orgy of schadenfreude.

Preparation Rating: B minus, Chaotic but no disaster.

Security: In the wash-up, to me what was the biggest concern beforehand, and most had me holding my breath right till the end - security - became a non-issue. Possibly because it was in the Indian Government's hands, rather than Kalmadi's committee, the biggest fears ahead of the games didn't materialise. We'll probably never hear how serious, and close to fruition, an of those security threats came, but I think it's fair to say there were real reasons to be worried. London's gonna face a similar challenge. I'm sure we all hope they succeed as well as India did.

Security rating: A Plus. The very fact we didn't hear anything about it once the games started is a credit to the security planning.

Ceremonies: Okay, here we get into objective territory. And I have to confess I have still to watch the CC (it started midnight here, and I'm at work now. Will have to wait till I get home to watch my recording of it). But I was pleasantly surprised by the OC - definitely more heart-felt and self-deprecating than I expected. VERY derivative, but still enjoyable.

Ceremonies rating: A Minus

Competition/Sports: To me, it was the actual competition that was the true saving grace of the games and lifted them from ho-hum to bloody enjoyable. Okay, I was a little disappointed that England didn't provide as tough a competition as I would have hopd in the loead-up to London, and maybe in cycling the lack of some of the big names from the UK took a bit of gloss off the results (that said, I do think Oz is gonna be competitive again at the London velodrome). But what really got me was how the blue riband events - athletics and swimming - seemed to be overshadowed by the truly "commonwealth" sports that so many people like to sniff at. Nearly every games - Olympic and the rest - produce one sport that "wins" me over, and this time around it was Netball that was the eye-opener for myself. For netball, the CWGs ARE the pinnacle, and the competition lived up to it. Fast, exciting, absorbing and scintillating. I'll never make fun of netball again. But that wasn't the only top-class event. Hockey, Diving, Rugby - all produced competition that was world-and-Olympic class, or not far off it, and some memorable matches. And there's a lot to be said for old rivalries - Oz V England, Scots V England, Aussies V Kiwis - for giving a spark to events. And the athletes seemed to be genuinely motivated and overjoyed to be there. This is one case where the athletes can well and truly take a bow. Well done! And I hope the anticipation of a real Ashes battle for the top of the medal table comes to fruition at Glasgow. The Poms will have no excuses, then.

Sports rating: A Plus

Operations: I suppose this is a bit of a catch-all category, and truth to tell, it was a mixed bag. Yes, crowds early on were a real problem. But just about every major games host in recent years bar Sydney and Vancouver struggled to fill up early and non-finals events. Even Barcelona, from personal recollection, had issues with some near-empty venues, and it didn't stop them being the contender, with Sydney, as the "best" games to date. That said, early attendance in Delhi was dire and I suppose just underlined the lack of Indian sporting enthusiasm and tradition. And really showed they should have moved heaven and earth to have Cricket there. But to be fair, crowds did pick up eventually, even if they only really seemed to "go off" at hockey. Ticketing was the other area, along with the preparations, that seemed to be a total shambles, no getting around that. Nobody ever seems to get ticketing totally right, but nobody has ever really got it as totally wrong as Kalmadi's team did. Those aside, apart from the occasional glitch, as happen at EVERY major games, things went reasonably well.

Operations rating: B. No disaster, again, but plenty of room to improve.

Overall: If I was a Samaranch, I think I'd take the lead of a few posters here already on other threads and label them "memorable". Not perfect (no games are), but not unsuccessful either and they sure surpassed expectations (not that expectations were high) by a mile. In the end these were a very Indian games, and like India, chaotic and at times confronting, but they worked. And ultimately, I'd say they left the CGF with a positive legacy. Certainly in a better state than those of, say, Edinburgh 86.

Rols' Overall Rating: A minus. What can I say? They left me wanting more. If the CWGs can achieve that, they came out ahead.

Aussies owed millions from Delhi Commonwealth Games

* By Nick Tabakoff

* From: The Daily Telegraph

* January 20, 2011

THE dramas surrounding the Delhi Commonwealth Games continues more than three months after the event finished in October, with Australian sporting bodies and major event groups owed millions by the Indian Government.

The scandal could even hit the taxpayer, with the government-funded Australian Commonwealth Games Association (ACGA) saying it is still owed "a six-figure sum" due two months ago, reported The Daily Telegraph.

Separately, Sydney Olympics maestro Ric Birch has this week commissioned Slater & Gordon to launch a likely multi-million dollar class action against Delhi organisers for substantial unpaid bills.

Mr Birch said he was "seriously pissed off"with Games organisers.

ACGA CEO Perry Crosswhite said his body was one of "30 or 40" similar Games bodies around the world owed money by Delhi organisers.

"We're owed a travel subsidy payment in the six figures that was due in November," he said.

Mr Crosswhite said previous Games organisers - including those for the 2006 Melbourne Games - had paid similar subsidies promptly. "We would expect the same to happen in India."

Mr Birch's Indian lawsuit is shaping as the first salvo in a possible $3 million-plus class action involving at least four of Australia's biggest major event names - including Mr Birch's Spectak Productions, and world-renowned fireworks group Howard & Sons - against Delhi organisers.

Most companies hit were key players in the opening and closing ceremonies. All still have substantial parts of their $1 million-plus contracts left unpaid, three months after the closing ceremony.

Some have suffered even more by having millions worth of key equipment, needed elsewhere, stuck in Delhi until this week.

Howard & Sons boss Andrew Howard said the combination of the unpaid money and the hold-up of the company's unique pyrotechnics firing equipment in Delhi had left the firm facing a financial crisis.

"The past three months have probably been the most challenging in our 89-year history, in terms of both cash flow and equipment," he said.

Mr Birch joked India was an acronym, "standing for 'I'll Never Do It Again.' The organisers [were] totally unreliable, totally incompetent, and often told total untruths".

This has left the companies facing big financial shortfalls. Mr Birch is owed $350,000 on his Games contract.

Howard & Sons said it was owed $300,000 in unpaid bills, but up to $900,000 once compensation for not having crucial equipment available was taken into account.

Two other Australian companies said they were also owed a total of about $1.6 million by organisers.

Global major event sound company Norwest Productions said it was now owed $1 million, including $160,000 a week for the past six weeks, for multi-million dollar equipment needed elsewhere by the start of December but held up in Delhi. An Australian firm that provided Games media services is owed $600,000.

Mr Birch was creative director for the Delhi ceremonies, Howard & Sons provided all of their fireworks, and Norwest provided all the sound.

Both ceremonies were hailed as shining successes amid the Games general chaos. But Mr Birch said he was told by Delhi Games organisers secretary-general Lalit Bhanot: "We're not going to pay you because your services were not up to the mark."

Mr Crosswhite said he would be "very disappointed if the Indian Government were using that [excuse] not to pay."

Mr Howard is furious: "Those bastards really don't give a s ... ."

Mr Birch said English, German and Italian companies involved with the ceremonies were also owed substantial amounts.

India's ability to host international events has this week been called into further question, with at least five venues for next month's cricket World Cup not completed.

Similar chaos rocked the Games before the start.

First off you can be sure that right now the IOC are getting a whiff of this story and will be filling it away for future reference in case there is any Delhi 2020 or beyond bid. You don't screw over the sporting associations and the big players in supplying items and services related to the CWGs and Olympics like the Delhi buffoons have done and expect to be given a free pass down the road.

Secondly you can be damned sure that right now everyone looking at the 2018 race will want to be getting far better financial guarantees from the two bids that all will be sound. And let's face it, how can Hambantota and their Chinese/Korean funded infrastructure plans also spread to take care of the extensive costs with ceremonies, team transport etc etc. It would be logical to assume that if the Indians have reneged or delayed payments to the Australian CWG Association they will have done the same to every other country that sent teams, and each one of those countries will now be asking for more financial rigour in the bid process. Battered as it may be by floods Queensland's and Australia's financial backing of sport and the Commonwealth Games is far more secure than any far less developed countries effort.

One thing is for certain; Ric's "I'll never do it again" comment and the two-timing bastardry of Kalmadi shows that all of us here who thought that Delhi was a blot on the Commonwealth Games were 100% right in our assessment.

2010 Commonwealth Games on CBC

CBC has announced their 2010 Commonwealth Games schedule. Coverage this year is better than ever for those who get Bold because Bold will provide 5+ hours of live coverage daily. CBC is basically treating this event like the Olympics (except there is no live coverage on the main net). The Games start in Delhi on Saturday October 3. I haven’t heard any information on CBC commentators yet, but if I do I’ll post those details too. Now here is CBC and Bold’s LIVE 2010 Commonwealth Games broadcast schedule

Sunday October 3

9:00am-1:00pm, Opening Ceremony – CBC

Monday October 4

6:00-8:00am, Swimming: Semi Finals and Finals – Bold

8:00-9:30am, Gymnastics: Men’s Team Final – Bold

9:30-11:00am, Women’s Hockey: Canada vs. Malaysia – Bold

Tuesday October 5

5:00-6:30am, Men’s Hockey: Canada vs. South Africa – Bold

6:30-8:00am, Swimming: Semi Finals and Finals – Bold

8:00-10:00am, Gymnastics: Women’s Team Final – Bold

Wednesday October 6

5:00-6:30am, Women’s Hockey: Canada vs. England – Bold

6:30-8:30am, Swimming: Semi Finals and Finals – Bold

8:30-11:00am, Athletics: Semi Finals and Finals – Bold

Thursday October 7

6:00-8:30am, Swimming: Semi Finals and Finals – Bold

8:30-10:30am, Athletics: Semi Finals and Finals – Bold

10:30am-noon, Men’s Hockey: Canada vs. England – Bold

Friday October 8

6:00-7:30am, Men’s Hockey: Canada vs. Wales – Bold

7:30-9:00am, Swimming: Semi Finals and Finals – Bold

9:00-11:00am, Athletics: Semi Finals and Finals – Bold

Saturday October 9

5:00-6:30am, Women’s Hockey: New Zealand vs. Canada – Bold

6:30-8:30am, Swimming: Semi Finals and Finals – Bold

8:30-11:00am, Athletics: Semi Finals and Finals – Bold

Sunday October 10

5:00-6:30am, Men’s Hockey: New Zealand vs. Canada – Bold

6:30-8:30am, Diving: Men’s 1m Synchro & Women’s 10m Synchro – Bold

8:30-11:00am, Athletics: Semi Finals and Finals – Bold

Monday October 11

6:00-8:30am, Diving: Men’s 3m & Women’s 10m Finals – Bold

8:30-11:00am, Athletics: Finals – Bold

Tuesday October 12

6:00-8:30am, Diving: Women’s 1m & Men’s 3m Synchro – Bold

8:30-11:00am, Athletics: Finals – Bold

Wednesday October 13

6:00-8:30am, Diving: Women’s 3m & Men’s 10m Finals – Bold

8:30am-noon, Boxing: Finals – Bold

Thursday October 14

6:00-7:30am, Athletics: Men’s & Women’s Marathons – Bold

7:30-9:30am, Men’s Hockey: Final – Bold

9:30am-noon, Closing Ceremonies – Bold

CBC will also air a daily highlights show from 3-4pm and midnight-1am local every week day of competition. There will also be a highlights show on Saturday October 9 from 1-3pm ET, Sunday October 10 from 2-4pm local and Saturday October 16 from 2-3:30pm ET on CBC.

Bold will re-air their live coverage in the afternoon and late night every day of competition. Afternoon coverage will generally run from noon or 1pm ET until 6pm ET, while late night coverage will usually start from 10pm ET.

Aside from the monolithic success of the Australian team as a whole I'm intrigued by the strong showing of South Africa (portents for an even better showing 4 years from now maybe, perhaps with a future CGs in the pipeline?) whereas NZ seems to have fallen behind. Canada's CG glory days are also looking a little like a dim memory...are Canucks disengaging from the games in favour of winter sports and their recent success at Vancouver?

CBI nabs 2 ex-CWG officials as probe throws up murky details

Kumar Rakesh

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, November 15

Two former senior officials of the Organising Committee (OC), Commonwealth Games, and close aides of OC’s chairman Suresh Kalmadi were arrested today by the CBI. The arrest of TS Darbari, joint director general, revenue and marketing, and Sanjay Mohindroo, deputy director general, marketing, on charges of corruption, forgery and criminal conspiracy is the most tangible action so far by a prosecuting agency in the wake of multiple probes started by various government bodies into the suspected cases of CWG corruption.

Two London-based sister firms, which had a man of Indian origin as the director, also figure as accused in the two FIRs registered by the CBI besides the director, DIG Anurag of CBI told the media.

The shoddy deals were signed by Kalmadi and Lalit Bhanot, the secretary general of the OC, and official sources said both of them could be questioned by the investigating officials in coming days depending upon how the probe unfolded.

A director-level official of the OC, Raj Singh, is also an accused but has not been arrested. Residences of the accused OC officials were raided besides that of the OC at Jantar Mantar.

CBI officials said both London-based firms — AM Car & Van Services and AM Films — were awarded contracts on October 24, 2009, for Queen Baton relay, which was held in London five days later. Anurag said no bids were called and nor were any other standard procedures followed by the OC. Kalmadi had defended the decision when the suspect methods were exposed weeks before the Games, saying that they had to do away with the formalities due to the immediate requirement of cars and video screens for the Relay.

The CBI probe, however, unravelled that Darbari and Mohindroo were in touch with Patel weeks before his firms were awarded contracts. Another claim of the OC that the firms were on the panel of Indian High Commission in London has also proved to be bogus.

What more the OC officials forged emails, purportedly sent by the Indian High Commission, to justify the awards of contracts to the two firms of little repute. Kalmadi had shown these mails to defend the deals.

“The mails were forged by Mohindroo. Darbari and he were in touch with Patel several weeks prior to the signing of contract on October 24. This is a conclusive proof to nail the ulterior motives of these officials. Now we want to know if more OC officials were involved in the scam,” a senior official said.

Darbari and Mohindroo were sacked by the OC after the deals were exposed, only on the prodding of the government.

CBI officials said the worth of the contracts was too high vis-a-vis market rates and the firms were most probably asked to jack up their prices, been assured well in advance that they would bag them.

The Enforcement Directorate had earlier registered a case regarding the same. The CBI probe, however, would be more widespread and throw up significant evidence in connection with the CWG irregularities.

Birch was rude and cynical, say Delhi officials

DELHI: Commonwealth Games chiefs are citing three angry emails that accuse the Australian events supremo Ric Birch of being cynical, overly critical and ''downright rude'' as the reason not to pay him more than $350,000 he is owed from the staging of last year's Games.

The emails from the Indian creators of the Delhi Commonwealth Games ceremonies illuminate the acrimony that plagued the lead-up to the Games. The Indian ceremonies team and Mr Birch, the international consultant on the Games, fell out over nearly every element of the opening and closing shows.

It's an enmity that has worsened this week with the Games organising committee's decision not to pay more than $4 million owed to nine foreign companies who helped stage the Games for ''non-performance of contracts''.

But the Herald has learnt that in Mr Birch's case, it is these emails that form the basis for Games chiefs refusing to pay his company, Spectak Productions, the $350,000 the contract says it is owed. They make no mention of his contractual obligations.

The creative director for the Delhi ceremonies, Bharat Bala, said when Mr Birch began work with the Indian ceremonies team, there was goodwill all around.

But Mr Bharat's email, sent to the Games organising committee and obtained by the Herald, shows the relationship soured.

''As time passed he became too cynical and critical of the way work was being carried out and stopped contributing. Instead most of his time was spent in putting together reports for the organising committee on how the ceremonies cannot be organised if things were not put in place as per his instructions.''

Mr Birch did not attend the closing ceremony. He told the Herald it was because Games chiefs gave him a visa that expired on October 14, the day of the closing ceremony, and that he was warned he would be arrested if he overstayed.

''But ironically, looking back,'' Mr Bharat said, ''his absence seemed to have helped in the production for the ceremonies. Constant criticism … could have been damaging to the spirit of this production.''

Ajay Rao worked with the Indian events company Wizcraft on the Games ceremonies. He said Mr Birch's behaviour was ''downright rude and unacceptable''.

Mr Birch, a veteran of six Olympic Games and scores of big events across the globe, has said an organising committee hopelessly out of its depth was rescued by the international expertise around it.

''The international contractors … worked under appalling conditions to deliver the ceremonies for an organising committee that was totally incapable of doing so itself.''

He was critical, he says, of the preparations because they were shambolic and dangerously disorganised. He said the claims of ''non-performance of contract'' by Games bosses were baseless.

''At no time during the term of the contract did [Games organisers] mention any dissatisfaction and waited two months after the Games, and two months after final payment was due, to announce that Spectak was 'not up to the mark'.''

He said the continuing saga was an embarrassment for India. ''This is simply a small example of why it is so difficult and unrewarding to do business in India - let it be a lesson to us all.''

Mr Birch has begun legal action to recoup the money. Other firms appear certain to follow, in what has already been an ugly aftermath for the Games. The organising committee chairman was sacked over alleged corruption and criminal charges have been recommended against the host broadcaster for irregularities.

But the new chairman of the organising committee, Jarnail Singh, told the Herald it had no intention of paying out.

Sydney Morning Herald

India's ruling Congress Party sacks Commonwealth Games head

India's ruling Congress Party has sacked the head of its Commonwealth Games Organising Committee from a top party post and the chief minister of Maharashtra state amid allegations of corruption.

The move has been portrayed as an attempt to show it is serious about improving the country's governance following President Obama's pledge to support a permanent seat for India on the United Nations Security Council.

Suresh Kalmadi, who was widely blamed for the fiasco surrounding India's preparations for the Commonwealth Games and who was loudly jeered by thousands of spectators at its closing ceremony, was dismissed as a Congress Party secretary. The move is expected to trigger his departure as head of the Games' organising committee.

Allegations of corruption regarding contracts for the Queen's Baton Relay are being investigated by Indian police, while other bodies are looking at construction deals. India's anti-corruption watchdog criticised the preparations for the Games and is said to be examining allegations that certificates guaranteeing the quality of building materials had been forged.

Mr Kalmadi has been blamed for the late completion of the Games village and athletes' apartments which threatened the participation of several national teams. Athletes and officials complained their flats were unsafe and dirty.

Photographs revealed evidence of human waste and muddy paw prints on the beds.

His reputation plunged further when a foot bridge at the main Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium collapsed, injuring 27 workers, days before the Games were due to begin.

Ashok Chavan was effectively sacked on Tuesday when his resignation over his alleged involvement in a housing scandal was accepted by party chief Sonia Gandhi. Mr Chavan had been a key figure in allowing a housing co-operative build a tower block on prime residential land in the heart of Mumbai's Colaba district for war heroes and widows.

But many of the flats, overlooking the Arabian Sea, were given instead to retired army and navy chiefs and associates and relatives of senior Congress politicians. Three of Mr Chavan's relatives are alleged to have been allocated heavily-discounted flats in the block.

Mr Chavan's sacking came two days after he personally welcomed President Obama when he arrived in Mumbai on Saturday. He had angered senior colleagues after threatening to boycott the visit in protest over tight security arrangements for a dinner hosted by the president on his first night.

"Pending [an] inquiry, his offer of resignation has been accepted. He has been asked to tender his resignation to Governor K Sankaranarayanan," said a spokesman. Both men deny any wrongdoing.

Leading commentator Vir Sanghvi said Mrs Gandhi had sacked the men to send an anti-corruption message to her party. "She has a fetish about honesty but wanted to wait until after President Obama's visit to minimise any embarrassment," he said.

Telegraph

The news comes a day after Navin Prasad, the chief medical officer for the Canadian team at the Games, confirmed that another athlete has come down with typhoid fever. Due to privacy issues, he couldn't name the patient.

We still didnt get to the Glasgow handover but there are already bagpipers

I'm surprised we didn't have a thread for Delhi news (I know we used to have one, around the time when there was all the specualtaion that they were going to be stripped of the games but I guess that fell through the cracks in the redesign).

Anyway, it's nice to see some positive news start appearing from India.

Given India's rising tech centre, I guess it's fitting that Delhi 2010 has ambitious digital plans.

Cameron Van Der Burgh

Swimming

South Africa (flag bearer)

with illegal swimsuit

Paul Henry, host of New Zealand's most popular breakfast tv show - Breakfast, has a bad habit of overstepping the line on tv.

He did it again, when pronouncing the name of Delhi's chief minister Sheila Dikshit.

NZ breakfast tv

This is a must watch.

Paul has been notorious with other such youtubable moments as commenting on the mostache on a lady he interviewed , and talking about how rats urinate on their hands to clean their faces.

Australian wrestler gets DQed for rude gesture and un-sportsman-like-conduct.

Too bad puppy isn't on the ground.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcIuAFE9RUE

The athlete, of course, dared not run counter with the official...but reports were than the POC were looking into the incident.

ANother first for these Delhi 2010 Games!!

Is Mozambique one these countries?

For the official website on the kiwi team please see:

http://www.29028.co.nz/

I think it is frustrating that we in France and Germany are not able to watch anything of the OC in Delhi right now...

They have just inflated and tested the aerostat which is to be the focal point of the opening ceremony. It's been raised 10m, and will rise a further 20m in the next few days. Supposedly a large stage will be situated below. The Aerostat will have lighting features, will reflect light, be a projection screen, and will also lift props.

Other bits and pieces of information, there will be a 90ft face bamboo tree covered in textiles. Also, currently the infield is covered by a number of layers. A waterproof protective layer, a special covering which can withstand pressure loads of up to 10ton a m, and it will be topped off by a blue carpet.