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You sir are living in a fool's paradise! NO workers should die during the preparation for any games. NONE!!! And it is not sarcasm to point out that there is a seething underclass of people in your country that are being exploited to get these farcical games ready when they are way beyond budget and planned delivery time for a pittance and who are killed in preparation of an event that will only benefit the corrupt and the wealthy. Considering that at best estimates there were upwards of 10 deaths before Beijing's Olympics, 5 before Athens' and 1 each before Sydney 2000 and Atlanta the death toll for these unwarranted games at 42 is a national shame which should lead to the resignation of all officials involved as well as prosecution of the contractors who are exposing your fellow citizens to third world safety practices. I would rather have the perspective that the loss of one life is something to be avoided, lamented and maybe even result in criminal charges than take your approach which is to blithely equate the oversupply of poor people who are in desperate need of a basic income (which is not being given to them) to fatal accidents. Instead of trumpeting the design of the medals how about exerting the same energy in asking your civic and commercial leaders about why Delhi 2010 has been blackened by the shame of corruption and avoidable deaths. What a waste for such a redundant event....

Well, I am not going to use any foul words for you. You are twice the age of mine, which is the only thing that stops me to say anything.

Here are few points that I would like to bring forward:

- Unofficial sources claim that there could have been more than 10 causalities, ONLY during the construction work at the Bird's Nest Stadium, Beijing. 6 workers were buried alive while working on in a subway tunnel in 2007 related to Olympics project. No data regarding the condition of the workers on other venue construction sites has been revealed till date by the Communist Party of China.

- 16 or 42, every fatal accident costs a life, which can bring the concerned family to shambles. I understand that.

- "the death toll for these unwarranted games at 42 is a national shame which should lead to the resignation of all officials involved as well as prosecution of the contractors who are exposing your fellow citizens to third world safety practices."

M. S. Gill, Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, has already promised in front of the Parliament, that those who are found guilty will be prosecuted, BUT only after the Games are over.

- "..than take your approach which is to blithely equate the oversupply of poor people who are in desperate need of a basic income (which is not being given to them)..."

Well, what do you have to say about this:

Australia: Construction worker threatened with jail

- "...Instead of trumpeting the design of the medals how about exerting the same energy in asking your civic and commercial leaders about why Delhi 2010 has been blackened by the shame of corruption and avoidable deaths..."

# Some of you found this design dull inspired, I was just trying to make it easier for you people to understand the inspiration behind such a beautiful design. That's it. No trumpeting.

# Right To Information Act (2005) and Article-19 of The Indian Constitution which gives you the right to speak, is used so extensively here in MY country that nothing is left hidden, on whatever is related to Government Projects.

# This is Democracy at its best, you are not put behind bars to form an organisation and raise your voice against government projects, unlike China.

# A little off-topic but, when Australia changed its Uranium Exporting Policies, JUST to sell something, that your country has been bestowed upon by Mother Nature, to India. You & your fellow citizens could have asked your law-makers the same question, as to what is the point putting the population of 6 billion at stake just for a multi-billion dollar deal. Isn't that what you call is sheer business?

- and I would sincerely request you, not to use the words like 'Unwarranted Games' or 'Redundant event', these are the Games WE are hosting, and I am proud of it.

I respect your sentiments, but no country is PERFECT, you just have to try & make it a better place to live in, and this is exactly what we are trying to do in the name of Commonwealth Games 2010.

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Well, I am not going to use any foul words for you. You are twice the age of mine, which is the only thing that stops me to say anything.

Here are few points that I would like to bring forward:

- Unofficial sources claim that there could have been more than 10 causalities, ONLY during the construction work at the Bird's Nest Stadium, Beijing. 6 workers were buried alive while working on in a subway tunnel in 2007 related to Olympics project. No data regarding the condition of the workers on other venue construction sites has been revealed till date by the Communist Party of China.

- 16 or 42, every fatal accident costs a life, which can bring the concerned family to shambles. I understand that.

- "the death toll for these unwarranted games at 42 is a national shame which should lead to the resignation of all officials involved as well as prosecution of the contractors who are exposing your fellow citizens to third world safety practices."

M. S. Gill, Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, has already promised in front of the Parliament, that those who are found guilty will be prosecuted, BUT only after the Games are over.

- "..than take your approach which is to blithely equate the oversupply of poor people who are in desperate need of a basic income (which is not being given to them)..."

Well, what do you have to say about this:

Australia: Construction worker threatened with jail

- "...Instead of trumpeting the design of the medals how about exerting the same energy in asking your civic and commercial leaders about why Delhi 2010 has been blackened by the shame of corruption and avoidable deaths..."

# Some of you found this design dull inspired, I was just trying to make it easier for you people to understand the inspiration behind such a beautiful design. That's it. No trumpeting.

# Right To Information Act (2005) and Article-19 of The Indian Constitution which gives you the right to speak, is used so extensively here in MY country that nothing is left hidden, on whatever is related to Government Projects.

# This is Democracy at its best, you are not put behind bars to form an organisation and raise your voice against government projects, unlike China.

# A little off-topic but, when Australia changed its Uranium Exporting Policies, JUST to sell something, that your country has been bestowed upon by Mother Nature, to India. You & your fellow citizens could have asked your law-makers the same question, as to what is the point putting the population of 6 billion at stake just for a multi-billion dollar deal. Isn't that what you call is sheer business?

- and I would sincerely request you, not to use the words like 'Unwarranted Games' or 'Redundant event', these are the Games WE are hosting, and I am proud of it.

I respect your sentiments, but no country is PERFECT, you just have to try & make it a better place to live in, and this is exactly what we are trying to do in the name of Commonwealth Games 2010.

Ahhh, nice to know that when I cite reports in your own national media that show with shocking clarity the blatant exploitation of your countrymen and women that it's my age that prevents you from using foul words against me. :lol: Of course if you wish to use personal invective and call me names it won't matter a jot to improving the reputation of these games which are redundant in my opinion (and as I live in a democracy I too have a right to use that phrase). If you can proud of the 2010 Delhi Games after all the deaths, all the corruption then may I suggest your patriotism is blinding you somewhat.

And now, to reply to your points:

The threat of imprisonment against Ark Tribe is in itself a concern however it is nowhere near as egregious as having (for example) 2 year old children killed on a supposed work site which is being hastily finished with the exploitation of workers who are employed under terms that are contradictory to the basic employment laws of the local government, and who are (as reported by your own media) restrained from leaving the work site. And the building industry in Australia would never allow or be allowed to exploit workers for the equivalent of $A2.00 a day or housing them in building rubble. Your citation is irrelevant and does nothing to minimise the tragic waste and criminality that is associated with the 2010 CWGs.

Re the deaths in the lead up to Beijing 2008. The Chinese should and have been excoriated for the manner in which they hosted the SOGs 2 years ago however whether or not they reported them is irrelevant to the exploitation and fatal mismanagement of your fellow poorer citizens. Don't think that just because China has a totalitarian society and India is a democracy means that the stain of worker's deaths and exploitation in the pursuit of delivering a delayed CWGs will be lessened. And if your local government makes pronouncements that those involved will be prosecuted after the games that smacks of whitewashing and PR spin. Why can't they be prosecuted now? Perhaps because the relevant authorities don't want to look criminally negligent before their grand showcase. Or perhaps...just perhaps...none of these deaths, none of this exploitation and none of these prosecutions would have eventuated if the 2010 CWGs were organised efficiently, safely and with better public responsibility by those in power.

As for your request for me to not call these games redundant, well consider it noted but ignored. The Commonwealth games are redundant and they have been for some time in my opinion. They are a second or third tier multi-sport carnival that does little more than remind us every four years that a group of generally unrelated countries once were part of the British empire. Most top class sportsmen and women would value the games whether they were in Melbourne, Delhi or Glasgow as a diversion from other more important or more lucrative events. They are a sop to the vested interests in certain cities and countries that weren't of a standard or weren't able to meet the political gamesmanship of far larger events and as tragically shown in Delhi's case become an excuse for mismanagement, corruption and unsafe work practices. As I have posted in other threads in my opinion the CWGs are no longer of value in the sporting and public policy world and if they had ended in 1998, 2002, 2006 or whenever that'd be fine by me. And before you accuse me of India bashing I have no interest or desire in seeing the 2018 CWGs come to the Gold Coast...call it quits after Glasgow and the Commonwealth won't be that devastated by their closure.

Finally as to your utterly irrelevant citation of Australia's debate over whether to export uranium to India. Firstly it has not been guaranteed (the Coalition Opposition supports it whereas the current ALP government doesn't). As someone who opposes the exportation I will be using that as one of the determinants when I vote in under 3 weeks in my Federal election. Having said that the principles behind the decision to export uranium to India was originally made under the presumption that India would be using the mineral for peaceful power generation (which would supposedly benefit the Indian economy and people plus not have as deleterious effect on the world's climate). Last time I looked Australia didn't have nuclear weapons, it was your country that had them and has refused to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Therefore how about your government try and explain to 6 billion people (or which at least a sixth are your countrymen and women) why there is a need to have Indian nuclear weapons, instead of supposedly using uranium possibly sold by multinational companies for power generation. So forget trying to divert attention from the justifiable criticism of the manner in which the 2010 CWGs have been organised.

Enjoy your Commonwealth Games experience...but it's come at a cost that stains it irrevocably.

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Some people have a different perspective for different things. And some just believe in closing their eyes to everything.

Besides the shape, how else does it reflect what you posted?

They could've done something with the texture or engravings. Definitely not medals we'd expect from a Commonwealth Games in this day and age.

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And it keeps getting worse....

Here's hoping the Lausanne bunker inhabitants are watching the manner in which the Delhi 2010 CWGs have been organised and will be taking detailed notes to give every future or potential host for the SOGS or OWGs on how NOT to organise for a major multi-sport event. And here's also hoping that the average citizen of Delhi won't have to suffer any more in this farce which is set to benefit a select few.

The Commonwealth Games Federation leadership should hang their heads in shame....

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NEW DELHI: Engulfed in a spate of corruption scandals, the Commonwealth Games organising committee was dealt another blow with merchandising company Premier Brands pulling out of the mega event.

The official merchandising and licensing partner of the Delhi Games, Premier Brands had been contemplating to withdraw as the delay in starting the process is amounting to huge losses every day.

"We have decided to withdraw from the Commonwealth Games as the project has got delayed too much," chairman of Premier Brands Suresh Kumar said.

Read more: Merchandising company Premier Brand pulls out of CWG - Top Stories - Commonwealth Games - Events & Tournaments - Sports - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/events-tournaments/commonwealth-games/top-stories/Merchandising-company-Premier-Brand-pulls-out-of-CWG/articleshow/6307123.cms#ixzz0wVHh4Cbr

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So, is this worst for India or for the whole CGF (which is not in its best shape lately)?

And how this affect Glasgow, the 2018 bidding and the people interested in 2022? Munich/Montreal/Moscow effect? Any predictions?

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Well, its chances were poor anyway, but I'd imagine the slim hopes for 2018 of that Sri Lankan hamlet who's only points of note are it's tiny, was destroyed in the great Tsunami, was the birth town of the President, and which the President dreams can be turned into the sports capital of the Indian Ocean with the help of a lot of Chinese military money, have now got even slimmer.

I'd imagine the CGF are relieved they chose Glasgow for 2014. Dare I now say I can't imagine the prospect that the next one's coming up in Abuja would be a re-assuring thought.

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So, is this worst for India or for the whole CGF (which is not in its best shape lately)?

And how this affect Glasgow, the 2018 bidding and the people interested in 2022? Munich/Montreal/Moscow effect? Any predictions?

Here's hoping a few lessons are learnt by all involved...

Certain countries are simply not capable of providing the political, commercial, social infrastructure, safety and public probity required to host a major sporting event that requires the investment of huge capital, both financial and social, as exemplified by the relative lesser burden of a Commonwealth Games. Forget the political posturing and the kind of statements that are built around some kind of self-justifying jingoism, if your social structures are built around endemic poverty and corruption, and minimal public infrastructure then your country/state/city is not either a worthy host nor (more importantly) will the benefits of such a large scale sporting event will ever really eventuate for the vast majority of the people.

The CGF has effectively reached its nadir with these games; relevance has been a problem for years now and this has become more pronounced with the growth in power and wealth of rival or similar organisations (i.e the IOC, FIFA, IAAF etc etc). By awarding the games to Delhi the CGF has effectively shot itself in the foot, with the major sporting powers of the Commonwealth looking very much askance at whether their athletes should attend, or the moral culpability in attending an event which is riddled with corruption, exploitation and deaths. Glasgow could well be a success, and with Gold Coast 2018 arguably a certainty the next two iterations will be more likely to return the CGs to the status quo of the period 1990-2006. However then comes the question of 2022...they can't continually cycle between Australia, Scotland, England, Canada, NZ and maybe Wales. The CGs will need to find a more appropriate and developed host (and perhaps this is where and when a South African city should come into play).

As for Hambantota and (hypothetically) the likes of Abuja, Port of Spain, Nairobi etc the CGF will surely see these current or potential hosts as literally land mines waiting to go off if selected, as in all these cases the same festering problems that have dogged Delhi 2010 will re-emerge. Corruption, security problems and minimal infrastructure will negate any value garnered from awarding the CGs to these potential host cities.

Finally India's general international reputation will not be as damaged by all this corruption, exploitation and criminal disregard for safety and human rights as we would expect. Firstly much of what we are documenting and discussing here is only of interest to Indians themselves or to followers of and participants in the CGs and their sports. Even here in sports mad Australia which has been the superpower of the CGs since 1990 all the build up to the CGs with their attendant problems have barely raised a ripple of interest. The Australian CG Association has been struggling to muster sponsorship and support for the Delhi 2010 games and I suspect this has been a similar experience in Canada, NZ and perhaps South Africa. The British and their teams will be looking to Delhi for a major step towards London 2012 but they won't be looking to draw any lessons or make any overall assessments against the Indians because they have more important games on their agenda. As for my second assumption, Indians themselves are infinitely more engaged with cricket (as borne out by the imbalance of posters in here contrary to as an example the Cricinfo forums), and whilst they may look to the CGs as part of some spurious emergence on the world stage this approach surely has been superseded with more quantifiable and less controversial nation building exercises such as its nuclear program, industrial developments under the likes of Tata etc, and the emergence of the information technology sector within the Indian economy. Hell, I bet more people will be interested in Bollywood films world wide than a shambolic sporting event that smacks of post-colonial era irrelevance.

The Delhi 2010 games will meander on, no doubt facilitated by a huge investment in people power that will leave the dispossessed still exploited and the rich still in place. The CGF will then switch their marginally interesting focus on Glasgow and probably the Gold Coast whilst more and more people within the Commonwealth with wonder at their relevance and their worth. Perhaps, with some hopefull optimism it's down to the good folk of Durban, Cape Town, Jo-burg or Port Elizabeth to help save the CGs...

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Just a thought...whilst the Indians struggle with their farcical efforts to get the Delhi 2010 CG preps in place Singapore has got itself organised with minimal fuss the YOGs...I know KL was only 12 years ago but how much of a better offer hypothetically could it have been if we were talking about a Singaporean CGs for this October.

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To the Brits and Aussies: Have there been many athetes opting to not go to Delhi?

Pretty much Canada's entire top-tier track team has opted not to go. The team we are sending should still pick up 10 to 15 medals, probably closer to the 15.

I know Bolt and Fraser will not be in Delhi, either will Chris Hoy and I do remember hearing that Mark Cavendish won't be either.

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It's been pretty quiet. I just did a check - our big long-jump hope Fabrice Lapierre is looking reluctant. The swim team seems pretty committed - Stephanie Rice, even carrying an injury, seems to have Delihi in sights. I seem to remember hearing the odd mutterings about security during the year from some off athletes.

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Lapierre was very doubtful but now is going. He had some contact from Athletics Australia and I would guess he was asked politely to go or maybe lose backing etc.

Methinks there is a certain pressure for Aussies to go because the expectation/burden for Aussie success at the CGs is higher rated than in other Commonwealth nations, plus the Federal government support for elite athletics has been under some pressure recently thanks to the economic downturn and shifting government priorities ( seen in the Crawford Report). to not go to Delhi may damage an athletes or sports funding.

Finally I suspect there is a degree of pressure both from the government and the various Australian sporting bodies to go to Delhi because of political benefits in the Australian-Indian relationship and the Gold Coast bid.

Edited by eusebius65
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To the Brits and Aussies: Have there been many athetes opting to not go to Delhi?

Pretty much Canada's entire top-tier track team has opted not to go. The team we are sending should still pick up 10 to 15 medals, probably closer to the 15.

I know Bolt and Fraser will not be in Delhi, either will Chris Hoy and I do remember hearing that Mark Cavendish won't be either.

A large chunk of the British track team won't be there due to olympic 2012 qualification events clashing, and then the UCI Road Cycling world championships also clashing. Which are much bigger events.

Then.. Jessica Ennis won't be attending due to her ending her season in Barcelona.

Other than that, most are going. (I'm quite sure Mark Cavendish hasn't said anything on that yet)

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Another comment on the shambolic preparations for the Delhi 2010 CWGs...this time from respected Indian test cricket captain and local Bishen Bedi:

FORMER Indian cricket captain Bishen Bedi has urged athletes to boycott the Commonwealth Games in protest against the shameful incompetence and corruption of Games officials.

Bedi, one of India's most famous former sportsmen, is embarrassed by the performance of his home city in constructing venues, which are months behind schedule and have little or no chance to be completed by the October 3 opening ceremony.

Commonwealth Games Federation chief Mike Hooper has asked the Delhi organising committee to update him on safety standards and wants a report from agencies involved within the next two days.

"It is an absolute embarrassment," Bedi told The Courier-Mail from New Delhi yesterday.

"The Games are completely in the doghouse. I am yet to be convinced they will happen because there are so many things that won't be done.

"I honestly believe they would be better transferring them to somewhere like Canada or Australia even at this late date.

"They could not do any worse even with a month's notice. Some venues are so far behind schedule they would be dangerous to compete at.

"If I was an athlete, I wouldn't bother turning up. I would stay away.

"There are venues which should have been started in 2003 that were started last year. Barely any of them are finished.

"Traffic has always been bad in Delhi but now it has gone to another level of madness in the inner city. With the monsoon rain we have had, and all the construction issues we have had, it is impossible to get through. The roads are a mess.

"India is going to lose a lot of credibility out of this. There was so much corruption going on that they just have not thought this through. The outside world don't realise how badly prepared we are."

Bedi, who was regarded as one of the finest left-arm spinners of all time, said no matter how much money and resources were thrown at venues over the next six weeks it would be impossible to bring them up to speed for the Games.

India's Government stepped in last weekend to salvage Games preparations, appointing a new group of ministers to oversee preparations.

CGF president Mike Fennell is due tomorrow to inspect all of the venues – none of which is complete. Athletes are due to start arriving in Delhi in less than a month.

With 47 days to go, Hooper said the task was huge.

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A large chunk of the British track team won't be there due to olympic 2012 qualification events clashing, and then the UCI Road Cycling world championships also clashing. Which are much bigger events.

Then.. Jessica Ennis won't be attending due to her ending her season in Barcelona.

Other than that, most are going. (I'm quite sure Mark Cavendish hasn't said anything on that yet)

The Canadian track team is one of the A teams Canada is sending. Should produce some medals if the England and Scotland are out.

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This morning I heard Perry Crosswhite (head of the ACGA) on Sydney radio 2UE trying to be upbeat but at the same time giving all the signals that the ACGA is concerned about Delhi 2010 and even admitted (with some probing from the host Steve Liebemann) that the upcoming CGF inspection could result in the games being switched or abandoned. I'd take that with a huge grain of salt of course but still if it's even been talked about then the organisers in Delhi should be alarmed...

The podcast of the interview can be heard here:

http://www.2ue.com.au/blogs/2ue-blog/will-the-delhi-games-go-ahead/20100817-127k0.html

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Latest News From the Delay 2010 Commonwealth Shames:

So with less than two months to go the 2010 CWGs in Delhi has to deal with a key sponsor threatening to quit, major tennis stars such as Andy Murray and Lleyton Hewitt not willing to attend, calls for judicial probes into the corruption of the organisers, a signficant downturn in tourists attending the games, a tit-for-tat battle with the CGF chiefs over broadcast revenues, public doubts over the benefits of the games to Delhi's most disaffected and exploited citizens and they can't even get their official song sorted out.

Five letters are all that are required to describe this situation...F-A-R-C-E.

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