Commonwealth Games 2010 to stay in Delhi: ACGA chief

Melbourne, Mar 5 (ANI): Australian Commonwealth Games Association CEO Perry Crosswhite said the 2010 Games are unlikely to return to Melbourne, and dismissed security fears in the wake of the attack on the Sri Lankan players in Pakistan.

"At this stage, the 2010 Games are on at New Delhi and we have no reason to believe that they won't take place," he said.

He said the terror attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team did not spell the end for those Games. "I won't call it a new threat. I call it a new implication," Crosswhite said.

"I don't think it means you automatically have to stop the Games. It's how you deal with it - that's what everyone is putting their minds to now," The Herald Sun quoted him, as saying.

Crosswhite said ACGA officials would visit New Delhi in early April. "Quite frankly it is very difficult to organise the Games anywhere else at this stage of the game," he said.

MCC General Manager Stephen Gough said it was highly unlikely the MCG could be transformed in time to host the Games and Commonwealth Games chiefs had not approached the stadium management.

Indian Olympic Association Secretary-General Randhir Singh said security planning for the Commonwealth Games was on track.

"We're fully geared up to provide adequate security to the athletes and spectators at the Commonwealth Games," Singh said.

Meanwhile, the London-based Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) said today that security planning is on course.

"The CGF is enormously aware of the need to ensure that a safe and secure environment is provided for the Commonwealth's athletes at every games," said Michael Hooper, chief executive of the CGF. (ANI)