Brekkie Boy

Have we had any reports on the facilities for the media? It looks like the BBC aren't risking it (though a decision made prior to this weeks news) considering the main hosts are in the UK fronting Ryder Cup coverage on Sunday, then hosting Delhi coverage on Monday. (Presumably though even though the presenters and studio aren't in Delhi, they'll have commentators and reports there.) (Presumably though even though the presenters and studio aren't in Delhi, they'll have commentators and reporters there.)

There is a huge difference though. Every report on the lead up to Delhi 2010 has (for years) said they are behind schedule, whilst every report I've seen on London says they're well ahead of schedule. Plus of course the IOC won't turn up a week before the games to see if everything is finished.

The CBC schedule: http://www.cbc.ca/commonwealthgames/schedule/streaming-broadcast.html

OK - admittedly easy to say this in hindsight (I'm sure many of us here who heard such things months ago had heard it all before for previous events which were alright on the night!) but these inspections shouldn't have been about what the Delhi team is telling the CWG Fed - it should be the other way round. I suspect though the CWG Federations resources didn't stretch to monitoring the build up to these games to the extent which was obviously required.

I've posted exactly those sentiments in the other thread. These events aren't just highlighting the inabilities of the Delhi organisers, but of the CWG Federation as a whole. Even if they'd had to cancel the event three months out from the games it would have been better PR than we're seeing now. The CWG Federation seem to forget their loyalty is to the games, not to Delhi. It's not a case of will they be ready now, it's a case of they're not ready. Athletes always move into the village at least a week prior to the games, so saying it'll be ready for the opening ceremony is basically a failure.

The CWG Federation has a lot to answer for and the buck has to stop with them. The fact is Delhi isn't ready - it's no good saying the athletes village will be finished for the Opening Ceremony when athletes are arriving a fortnight earlier. Add to that legitimate concerns about the construction - and it's a disaster, and a disaster of the CWG's own making. We all know the thinking behind choosing Delhi to host the event, and in theory that was a good move - but these problems have been highlighted time and time again over the last couple of years yet the CWG Federation have obviously done nothing to ensure we avoided the outcome we're now seeing. It might have been embarrassing, but cancelling or postponing the games months ahead of their scheduled appearance is far less damaging PR wise than the prospect of them being cancelled - or at least boycotted by many athletes, if not nations - now, and would at least have given them time to come up with a plan B (I've seen Singapore suggested considering they had venues and infrastructure in place for the YOGs). As selfish as it may seem, the CWG Federations loyalty is to the games, not the host city - and if the host city was failing time and time again to meet specified deadlines, the CWG Fed shouldn't be afraid to act in the interest of the Commonwealth Games. The whole organisation needs to grow up and realise this isn't an "amateur" event, but one they need to look after and treat professionally for it to prosper. Host city choices are obviously limited especially when big cities aren't putting their names forward, but the CWG should be looking at solutions to that problem - for example a partial downsizing or a more effective bidding process (bidding for two games at once for example). They also need to sort the calendar out to stop athletes withdrawing due to the excuse they're out of season. Games in March or October are ridiculous - surely a May to September window can be worked out. It's bound to clash with some international events, but it is in October anyway - so compromises have to be made. Basically though although Delhi is obviously far from blameless for this situation, the problems are one of the CWG's own making - and risk killing off the games for good.

So have TV deals been struck other than in Australia where GO! and Fox Sports will be covering it. (Fox Sport's and Nine (who run GO!) have the Olympic rights).

Turns out they got New Delhi and New York mixed up then!

It would be like when England didn't qualify for Euro 2008, with comments on how they'd have won the thing if they were actually there.

Finally after months of denying it was a done deal confirmation today the BBC are looking to broadcast the Commonwealth Games as usual. http://www.ofcom.org.uk/consult/condocs/commonwealth/

Something they could do without in the run up to Delhi, though IMO it looks a rather isolated incident. http://www.news.com.au/world/eight-hurt-in-bomb-blasts-at-indian-cricket-stadium/story-e6frfkyi-1225855037277

Though technically Wembley rejected the Olympics (well, athletics) rather than the other way round. If Meadowlands could be converted for athletics it seems the best option - but also probably means it's regular tenants are locked out of their own stadium for the best part of a year.

Playing football on that pitch must be a nightmare. Instead of ball boys, do they have divers?

Firstly of course it all comes down to personal opinion, and I'm sure there are still people within the IOC who would get blinded by the idea of a Hollywood Olympics, whether it's the right choice or not. And secondly, it all comes down to who wins what. Yes, hypothetically Berlin and Paris may be your preferred choice for the games, but if one of them wins 2020 or 2024, that would change your views were LA bidding for the next games. Back to New York and what really works in their favour IMO is there lack of history bidding. Some cities just look desperate when they're always putting their hat into the ring - but New York hasn't got a history of doing that, so when they do bid, you know they're pretty serious about it.

If Abuja took that approach though it would prove they're not up to hosting. They need to do what Rio did and keep that message quite subtle and in the background, sorting out the technicalities first.

Although you also have to think would their lives be any better if they were not working on such projects.

New York is the only American city I'd like to see host the games in the near future (failing that I'd prefer LA again over the usual contenders) - and 2024+ seems about the right time to do it. Internationally the US did themselves no favours winning the 1996 bid - regardless of how the games were perceived in hindsight, no country should be allowed to host the games just 12 years after the last. Personally I'd set the limit at 16 years, with no more than two games in a 40 year period. For me, and I suspect for many at the IOC, 2012 - and even 2016, was just too close to the last games, and with LA84 and Atlanta 96 they'd have been the third games in one generation - whilst many other countries haven't had the games at all for two or three generations.

When are the games due to be awarded - sometime next year I guess? I imagine realistically it's too late to get a bid off the ground for South Africa now - though IMO in the next couple of decades they are Africa's only realistic hope of getting the games, though unlike other African countries, should South Africa bid for the Olympics I'd imagine they'd always be a strong contender. It's a gamble really - do they go straight in for the Olympics, or delay their Olympic dreams and show they can host an event such as the Commonwealth Games first - but if they were to host those in 2018, I think we'd be looking at 2028 (2024 at a push) for South Africa to be bidding for the Olympics.

That's a huge weight of Delhi's shoulders. Have Australia publicly committed to sending a team yet, or are there still some doubts there?

At this moment in time I'd say they definately should, but should Delhi turn out to be a huge success, I'd imagine they'd be much more confident in moving into Africa. When would the Gold Coast propose to hold their games - it's getting a bit ridiculous now with them March one games, October the next. I know June - August is probably out of the question, but April/May or September wouldn't be too bad. I'd just like more than a couple of weeks between the Winter Olympics and the Commonwealth Games!

Would that be what the people of Vancouver want though? It's a good idea to relight cauldrons during future Olympic games - but that's assuming you have a nice cauldron. If this was in my hometown I think I'd want it demolished ASAP.

The ParalympicSport.TV site is very good for both live and on demand coverage. The highlights per day only come to 20-30 minutes, rather than a fixed 55 minute programme as it looked initially, but surely at the least broadcasters could make that available on their on demand / interactive services even if they're not carrying other coverage.

Well I think it's obvious really but everything from athletes/nations pulling out or apparently threatening to pull out to the lack of interest in broadcasting the games as a result, and I guess it's also affected sponsorship too. Alot of it completely unfounded, but unfortunately these concerns could write off Delhi's games before they even begin.

I'm assuming the outdoor cauldron has been lit again, but seen nothing of it. Is it in the same construction as for the Olympics, or like the indoor cauldron have the 4 arms been removed?

Hopefully the seemingly successful Hockey World Cup has settled some nerves about the games - but as I've said before I think now regardless of how successful the games are in October, the damage has been done by the uncertainty in the lead up to them. As for the Aerostat debate - don't quite get exactly what it is, but surely it's no more of a luxury than say fireworks. If the organizing committee has budgeted for it why not!