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Director General of Commonwealth Games Organising Committee (CGOC) V K Verma contended on Thursday that the collective responsibilities of the Suresh Kalmadi-led Executive Board could not be brushed aside. "All the major decisions have been taken by the Executive Board, of which Mr Kalmadi is the Chairman, not single handedly by Mr Kalmadi. All the major contracts whether its Max, Maxxam, SMAM (Sports Marketing and Management) or whatever, they have all gone through the Executive Board and not by Kalmadi," said V K Verma. He further blamed two suspended top functionaries, Joint Director General T S Darbari and Deputy Director General Sanjay Mohindroo for the entire alleged money trail during the Queen's Baton Relay launch in London. Meanwhile, Lalit Bhanot, Secretary General of Commonwealth Games Organising Committee said that the task has been given to the company Fast Track after terminating the Melbourne-based Sports Marketing and Management (SMAM). He noted SMAM had not kept up the obligation and above all Fast Track was more experienced and competent. "As far as the CAG (Comptroller and Auditor General of India) report is concerned, they have raised the issue of SMAM, we have terminated it because they had failed to achieve the targets. And the other thing they are saying is that we have lost revenue, because we never gave it to SMAM who gave the offer of 12.5 percent, whereas the Fast Track gave up to 15 percent," said Lalit Bhanot, Secretary General, Commonwealth Games Organising Committee. "Let me tell you that Fast Track is a well-known company in this field. So we have to ensure that the company which has the experience of doing it at Melbourne and other Commonwealth Games and they are specialised in this, so I think it was very wise step," he added. Bhanot further added that the company Fast Track had actually doubled their profits. The CAG (Comptroller and Auditor General of India) in a report projecting a loss of 24.6 million rupees said that while choosing the consultant for the broadcasting rights for upcoming Commonwealth Games, Fast Track Sales Ltd, there was no technical evaluation of the bidders. The Central Vigilance Commission had alleged irregularities in several Commonwealth Games related-works being carried out by civic and construction agencies. India is expecting about two million tourists in New Delhi for the Games, as well as about 10,000 athletes from 71 teams representing 54 Commonwealth member states which will be held from October 3 to 14 in New Delhi. The 12-day extravaganza will be India's and Delhi's biggest sporting event since the 1982 Asian Games.

'Collective responsibility of Kalmadi-led executive board cannot be ignored'