Delhi 2010

[Faster]

I heard that Rebecca Adlington and other female members of the English swim team have some tummy trouble, they report not being able to eat and going to the lo very frequently, now the report of the Falklands Islands athlete. Is this the start of an outbreak? The athletes village would be the perfect place for such bacteria to grow

Dengue fever is caused by a virus with a vector pathology.

And Adlington sounds like she just has Traveler's diarrhea which is prevalent in India because of the water (even perfectly clean water) and Indian food.

Edited October 6, 2010 by Faster

[Aronious]

Moths my arse...unless these were the lepidoterist's most sought for winged insect find, the famous "Roof Debris Moth" that comes with no wings, no legs, no insectoid parts but clearly resembles ceiling debris.

Saw footage of the cleaning on Australian TV last night and unlike the entire air force of Bogongs that descended upon Homebush in 2000 it was clear as buggery that what was in the Delhi pool were not moths.

It was confirmed by the Australian swimmers in the 4x100m relay (D'Osogna) that they were moths...or at least it was moths blocking their lane before the beginning of the race.

[huaiwei]

it was moths blocking their lane

I am trying to picture this one. Kinda funny actually. Will the athletes complain of roaches blocking their track?

And speaking about the track...anyone know what has happened to it? The shot put event seemed to have proceeded, but the track event is coming up soon...

[Aronious]

I am trying to picture this one. Kinda funny actually. Will the athletes complain of roaches blocking their track?

And speaking about the track...anyone know what has happened to it? The shot put event seemed to have proceeded, but the track event is coming up soon...

The athletes didn't actually complain. In fact, they laughed off the fact officials were cleaning the pool anyway. They commented that they were fine with swimming in the pool as they would merely dive through where the moths landed anyway.

[Rafa]

That guys used a giant pool scoop and what he picked up was either a gigantic moth or a debris. I watched it live.

[Ikarus360]

Yeah i know this is from a link posted some posts ago but...what the f***? This is even worse than the state of our football field back when we hosted the Pan Ams in 1983...at least we had a world class athletics track. Wasnt the track ready before the OC. How come this happened? o.o

[huaiwei]

The athletes didn't actually complain. In fact, they laughed off the fact officials were cleaning the pool anyway. They commented that they were fine with swimming in the pool as they would merely dive through where the moths landed anyway.

As I believed so. Read too many media reports and we will all start to believe the athletes are wimps.

[Brekkie Boy]

It was confirmed by the Australian swimmers in the 4x100m relay (D'Osogna) that they were moths...or at least it was moths blocking their lane before the beginning of the race.

Also swarms of moths taken residence in the long jump pits apparently.

Yeah i know this is from a link posted some posts ago but...what the f***? This is even worse than the state of our football field back when we hosted the Pan Ams in 1983...at least we had a world class athletics track. Wasnt the track ready before the OC. How come this happened? o.o

Unbelievable though it was very much fit for purpose today. Apart from the odd patch where the shading in the track showed they'd repaired it, it was good to go. Actually odd though now to see a red track - getting used to them being blue recently.

[LuigiVercotti]

Kalmadi reality TV series edges closer to reality

Peter Hanlon and Jake Niall

October 7, 2010

WITH plans surely under way for post-Games production of an At Home With The Kalmadis reality TV series, embattled Delhi organising committee chief Suresh Kalmadi yesterday found himself engaged in another fight he isn't about to win - this time with English rowing legend Matthew Pinsent.

As Kalmadi deflected questions about poor crowd numbers with his customary flair and optimism, the man who won four Olympic gold medals piped up. Pinsent said he had been at the shooting range on Tuesday when local gunman Abhinav Bindra won India's first gold medal of the Games, and the experience was sullied by the fact there were only 30 spectators there. Given Bindra's status as a national hero, did Kalmadi have any comments?

Kalmadi: ''I was there myself, there were a few hundred people there! I was there myself.''

Pinsent fired back: ''I can show you the pictures, sir, we can count them together if you like.''

Kalmadi: ''If you take a section of spectators, I don't know … but I can tell you there was a few hundred people there.''

Pinsent: ''Let's be clear - ticketholders?

Kalmadi: ''I can get back to you with more details.''

Pinsent: ''I'd be delighted.''

The last word in the stoush went to Mike Hooper, the New Zealander who is CEO of the Commonwealth ''Don't hold your breath.''

Spread 'em, please

MANY accreditation passes for officials, media and competitors are being declared invalid by scanning machines, causing long delays and no little embarrassment.

A confidential missive from the Delhi commissioner of police found its way to The Age yesterday, outlining that security personnel ''should not depend on the flap barriers, as they are malfunctioning'', and ''those declared not valid should be properly searched and frisked and allowed entry''.

One female member of the travelling media noted this could be good news for her male colleagues, who seemed to be finding the routine of spreading arms and legs while being ''patted down'' anything but an intrusion. ''I'm already getting tired of hearing blokes comparing just how thoroughly they've been searched,'' she said. ''Clearly they don't get this sort of attention at home.''

[huaiwei]

Alright enough of complains over moths and such. Perhaps it is time to focus on more critical problems which has much more direct impact on participation and performance:

Singapore's atheletes experienced two such issues yesterday alone. I wonder if others have been affected in this way yet:

Distractions plague shooters

S'pore's Nigel Lim drops points after sudden lane change, finishes third

By Abdul Hafiz, At The Games

NEW DELHI - FOR the second straight day, Singapore shooters, up against Indian favourites, had to cope with distraction from officials.

It did not stop Aqilah Sudhir from winning the women's 50m three-position pairs gold on Monday, but yesterday, it did not help Nigel Lim at all, who finished third in the men's 50m pistol.

The pinnacle of pistol events, the 50m can be described in two words: pure precision. Lim does it in one: Sensitive.

During yesterday morning's qualifying - a misnomer since the points recorded from the 60 shots count in the final tally - Lim spent 15 minutes test shooting at the target, making tiny changes in his grip, delicately lining his front and rear sights, picking the perfect position, and concentrating his mind.

Ready, he took his first official shot. Then his second. He felt comfortable, settled, thought he was doing well. A third shot. Then, to his surprise, he was told to pack his gun and change lanes, from his original 37 to the unused 34. 'That has never happened to me,' he said.

The Straits Times checked with games manager Deep Bhatia, who manages the shooting competition. 'There were technical problems, and the shooter was asked to move,' he said.

S'pore swimmers disqualified

4x200m men's freestyle relay team miss their registration for the final

By Jonathan Wong, At The Games

NEW DELHI - THE Singapore men's 4x200m freestyle relay team suffered the embarrassment of being disqualified from their final yesterday without even hitting the pool - all because they had failed to submit their entry for the final on time.

The team of Teo Zhen Ren, Jeremy Kevin Mathews, Arren Quek and Mattias Ng had clocked 7min 47.19sec in their heat in the morning to qualify for the final as the seventh-fastest team.

However, the quartet's joy subsequently turned into anxiety and later disappointment when they missed the 3pm deadline for submitting their entry for the final. The bus ferrying the squad had arrived at the venue only at 3.45pm due to traffic delays.

Team manager and head coach Ang Peng Siong said in a statement issued by Team Singapore: 'It usually takes us about 20 to 30 minutes to reach the Dr S.P. Mukherjee Swimming Complex. Today, it took us about an hour to reach the swimming complex.'

The final was at 6pm, but the squad had left at 2.45pm so that 'the team would not have to wait at the venue for too long before their event', said Ang.

He added: 'We lodged an appeal with the competitions manager, which was signed by all the head coaches of the other teams in the final, but we were not successful.'

Granted, Singapore hardly has a chance to earn a medal in the swimming event, and they probably could also be blamed for trusting the Indian transport system too much, but it was a boo-boo to stop atheletes from competiting in the finals for reasons like this. And the shooting event was even more infuriating, when changing of lanes for shooters presumably targeted at Singapore's shooters (who won two out of four medals on the first day, with the other two won by the Indians) could have cost Singapore the gold medal.

[jiejie]

Ok, someone needs to explain to me the anatomy of a track.

I see in Delhi that the track was in place before hand and it was covered up for the ceremony.

In Atlanta it also seemed to be hiding under a blue tarp or something and revealed for the parade.

But in Athens and Beijing it was no where to be seen and they had huge holes in the ground for elaborate sets, so I am guessing it wasn't underneath.

Did they have to lay asphalt on top of that and spray it to make the lines?

Or does the track come in some sort of tile form that is reassembled?

I don't know about Athens. But in Beijing, the track was always there, underneath. Once the Bird's Nest track and field was tested at events in April and May of 2008, the entire area was covered and protected while they finished doing the special infield construction area for the OC mechanics--that was planned so it didn't affect the track area itself. And it stayed protected when they were doing the dress rehearsals for the OC in July and 1st week of August inside the Stadium. After the OC on August 8, starting as soon as the Stadium was emptied, they worked around the clock for the next 6 days uncovering and resetting the infield, until everything was ready for competition. Athletic competition in the Birds Nest did not begin until August 15.

[jiejie]

This entire Commonwealth Games is shaping up to be a complete train wreck. Some of these stories of the pre-Games prep and what's going on now are so that you couldn't possibly dream them up if you were trying to write a sports novel. Say whatever you want about India, at least you won't ever be bored. I'm off to find more info on whether the swimmers got Delhi belly from the pool water or from overindulging in the local curries...

[Rafa]

sandy track. Abuja could do better

[Mau2010]

I saw the athletics event and the field in the Nehru stadium looks as ugly as when the stadium was re-opened.

[4seasonscentre]

http://www.cbc.ca/video/#/News/TV_Shows/The_National/ID=1609194404

(probably only accessible to Canadian users)

Good news is that more people are in the audience and more people are buying tickets.

The problem is that ticket holders are having issues getting into the venues.

People are being turned away at gates with officials saying it is too crowded and to use another gate.

One lady was denied entry because she used CRUTCHES. After the reporter questioned the officer the lady was eventually let in.

sandy track. Abuja could do better

I just saw a video. Seem to be specks of white stuff randomly littering the track.

[Soaring]

-

Thousands of condoms clog Games village drains

Reuters

updated 10/7/2010 8:13:30 AM ET

NEW DELHI — Thousands of flushed condoms threatened to choke the Commonwealth Games village's drainage system, media reports said, in the latest in a string of problems — from hidden snakes to outbreaks of dengue — to hit the venue.

Games organizers, who won a race against time to ready the village, are now battling to clear clogged drains after non-biodegradeable contraceptives were flushed down toilets in the first week of the event.

"If that is happening, it shows that there is use of condoms and I think that is a very positive story. Athletes are being responsible," Commonwealth Games Federation President Mike Fennell told a news conference on Thursday.

"We all know that encouraging safe sex is a very important thing to do."

Games organizers had provided 8,000 free condoms in the village, and the provision appears to be in high demand.

One official told the Mail Today newspaper on Thursday that over 4,000 had already been snapped up by eager athletes.

Shoddy construction work, fears over an outbreak of dengue fever and worries about security had meant many teams delayed their move into the village before the Games began.

However, blame for the latest problem lies firmly with the athletes.

Following a decision to provide free condoms at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, it has become something of a tradition.

At the Sydney Olympic Games in 2000, athletes quickly used up the 70,000 free condoms provided, forcing organizers to supply another 20,000, while at the 2004 Games in Athens, the provision was doubled to 130,000.

At both the Beijing Games in 2008, and the Vancouver Winter Olympics in February, 100,000 condoms were provided for athletes.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39552406/ns/world_news-south_and_central_asia/

-

[Brekkie Boy]

Crowds seemed to be better today, but the Delhi Belly dominating headlines at the swimming with around 40 Australian and English athletes affected.

Athletics - main Delhi fault was the long jump take-off board slipping in the decathlon. Was also an issue with blocks slipping in the Mens 100m, though officially athletes are responsible for their own blocks. However it can't be ruled out the issue was caused by the blocks or the track itself. And one from yesterday - athletes led out in the hammer with the name of their event on a placard - the "HAMMER THORW".

And sporting wise a controversy not really related to Delhi - could have happened anywhere, but the Womens 100m champion disqualified for an earlier false start. After a failed first attempt, England's Laura Turner and Australia's Sally Pearson both false started - but at 0.07second Laura Turner was deemed to have false started ahead of Sally Pearson (0.071), so only she was disqualified. Two appeals later though and Sally Pearson was disqualified - though the rules regarding false starts are open to interpretation.

However, the right decision IMO as if athletes with a reaction time under 0.1 seconds false start and it's clearly independently of each other, rather than a reaction to the initial false starter, the rules state they should be disqualified.

[4seasonscentre]

Am I the only one that knows you don't flush a condom down the toilet?

[LuigiVercotti]

Am I the only one that knows you don't flush a condom down the toilet?

Whilst I wont make any observations on that TMFI moment it has to be asked how come the Commonwealth's athletes and the Delhi's drainage system can't manage what the Olympic athletes and Sydney's drains were able to do back in 2000, plus with all this rampant condom use are athletic standards failing due to shagger's back and other horizontal folk dancing ailments

[LuigiVercotti]

Shock! Horror! Amazement!

Someone contact the Delhi 2010 security coordination team and ask them how a crowd of spectators slipped into a venue and actually came to see a sporting contest...

[Kenadian]

At the Olympics, athletics events happen in the second week, so there is a bit more time to prep the track and field following the opening ceremony.

[LuigiVercotti]

At the Olympics, athletics events happen in the second week, so there is a bit more time to prep the track and field following the opening ceremony.

Very true...which then makes you wonder why the Delhi OC (a.k.a. Kalmadi's Klowns) didn't work out the logistics of the track protection better or for that matter reconsider the scale of the Opening Ceremony and potential for damage in light of their schedule for track and field starting so soon afterwards. However we can all guess the answer...throw thousands of unskilled underpaid workers at the job at the very last minute and just hope like hell that things are alright (and if not blame the western media, the gods or the monsoon).

[4seasonscentre]

And sporting wise a controversy not really related to Delhi - could have happened anywhere, but the Womens 100m champion disqualified for an earlier false start. After a failed first attempt, England's Laura Turner and Australia's Sally Pearson both false started - but at 0.07second Laura Turner was deemed to have false started ahead of Sally Pearson (0.071), so only she was disqualified. Two appeals later though and Sally Pearson was disqualified - though the rules regarding false starts are open to interpretation.

However, the right decision IMO as if athletes with a reaction time under 0.1 seconds false start and it's clearly independently of each other, rather than a reaction to the initial false starter, the rules state they should be disqualified.

Turner was red carded and ran 'under protest'

They should have red carded Turner too. Instead she finished first and was only DQed 3 hours after the race- seems kinda cruel.

[Aronious]

And sporting wise a controversy not really related to Delhi - could have happened anywhere, but the Womens 100m champion disqualified for an earlier false start. After a failed first attempt, England's Laura Turner and Australia's Sally Pearson both false started - but at 0.07second Laura Turner was deemed to have false started ahead of Sally Pearson (0.071), so only she was disqualified. Two appeals later though and Sally Pearson was disqualified - though the rules regarding false starts are open to interpretation.

However, the right decision IMO as if athletes with a reaction time under 0.1 seconds false start and it's clearly independently of each other, rather than a reaction to the initial false starter, the rules state they should be disqualified.

The question here is where do you draw the line?

What qualifies as an independent false start and what does not? I agree in this circumstance she was correctly disqualified (though should never have been allowed to run the race, celebrate, and almost receive a medal!!!) though some serious questions should be raised with respect to how the rules are applied.

[dave199]

They should start giving out free tickets to the events cause this is really embarrassing for India with 80% of the athletics stadium empty.