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Indian players voice concern over Commonwealth Games | Several Indian sportspersons have expressed their anxiety over constant complaints about the ensuing Commonwealth Games to be staged in New Delhi. Saina Nehwal, the Indian badminton champion, presently ranked number 3 in the
world too shared these sentiments on the sidelines of a function at Mumbai on
Thursday. The games have been in controversy with pullout of International sportspersons,
citing reasons of hygiene and security. Photographs and videos of animal footprints
on the bed, excreta on the racetrack and disabled lavatories came as a rude shock
to the Indian government and the organisers of the games in particular. The footbridge
that collapsed a couple of days ago near the Jawaharlal Nehru stadium, the main
venue for the track and field events as well as the opening and closing ceremonies
has supplemented the worries of the Organising committee. A day later, a portion
of the false ceiling at the weightlifting arena further raised the controversy
over the quality of construction. In the backdrop of these trends, Saina Nehwal
said the pullout of international champions citing lack of hygiene and security
was very disappointing. "It does not look good when such issues do the rounds
like the pullout of international players. Finally, my work is to go there and
play well but it will only look better when we face a tough competition and all
sportspersons come to play," Nehwal said. "Sometimes it makes me sad but at the
same time it makes me happy because we hosting such a huge tournament. So, the
expectations are that players who are better than us come to play and the players
from abroad give us a tough fight as well. That's is when spectators want to come
and watch us play," said Saina Nehwal, badminton player," she added. Players from
other cities too expressed similar views over the callous role of administration
towards the games. For instance, Chandigarh-based Sabeeha Dhillon, an ace shooter
observed the excessive amount of negative reporting in the Indian and international
media was not proving to be of any help. "Why are we cribbing now when the games
are right on our head? These things should be taken care of at the base level,
not at the level when almost everything is done. You cannot do anything right
now," Dhillon said. "The best part is to do when anyone is constructing, whenever
the government is doing anything, one should check there and then in the beginning,
what exactly are the steps to be taken, where is the money and the funds are going.
Instead of cribbing at the later end when everything is done," she added. "Now
our people are saying this has been done wrong, things are falling, and people
are dying. Why are you cribbing now? You should have said things a year back or
two years back when all of it started," noted Sabeeha Dhillon, champion shooter,"
Dhillon said. The event, already the most expensive Commonwealth Games ever with
official estimates of three billion dollars, has been marred by charges of rampant
corruption, dubious contracts and poor workmanship in the past few months. Apart
from around 10,000 athletes from 71 teams representing 54 Commonwealth member
states, New Delhi is expecting a huge influx of sports enthusiasts and tourists
during the games. On Thursday, more nations delayed their teams' arrivals for
the games as organisers raced against time to address security and health concerns
of the participants. New Zealand joined Canada and Scotland in delaying its arrival
in New Delhi due to what it termed as poor accommodation for athletes, compounded by heavy monsoon rains.
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