Prince Edward visits Commonwealth Games sites to take stock of preparations

New Delhi, Oct 11(ANI): Amid skepticism over New Delhi's preparedness for holding the Commonwealth Games next year, Vice Patron of the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF), Prince Edward- the Earl of Wessex, visited various sites here to assess the preparations on Sunday.

Prince Edward, who was escorted by officials of the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee, visited the games village, the National Stadium and Commonwealth Games Headquarters to assess progress ahead of the mega event to be held in October 2010.

Earlier, Mike Fennell, President of the CGF had complained about the lack of preparations in New Delhi, and had written to the organisers expressing his concern at the organisers' reluctance to hire foreign experts and the tardy progress of work.

He had also demanded Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh to help "revive" the games.

The games' organising committee has already received a lot of flak for its tardy progress with the construction of many venues, including the games' village, which is running behind schedule and which forced the postponement of many international meetings planned as test events.

Delegates from all the 71 member nations of the CGF are presently in New Delhi ahead of the CGF General Assembly on October 12.

The 2010 Commonwealth Games will be India's first major international sports event after the 1982 Asian Games. (ANI)