Aussies bracing up for post-Games blues

Melbourne, Mar 21 (UNI) Commonwealth Games organisers are worried that the locals might slump into depression after the sporting extravaganza gets over next week and are busy consulting psychologists to deal with the blues.

''There are psychologists that are advising us on this,'' an AAP report quoted Melbourne 2006 chairman Ron Walker as saying today.

The city will play host to a Formula One race next month and Mr Walker fears that hosting of back-to-back events might contribute to the problem after, playing host to the Australian Open earlier in January.

''No other capital city in the world, to my knowledge has ever done that before, so there will be a depression of excitement that will go on in our community,'' he said.

He recalled the Olympics in Atlanta and Sydney and how the two cities, which were beeming during the Games, suddenly went quite after their conclusion.

''I know that particularly when Atlanta had finished there was a depressive mood amongst many of the people... because there was quite a hype to have the Olympics in Atlanta, and the same thing happened in Sydney,'' Mr Walker said.

Meanwhile, the ticket sales for the Games have touched a new high and 1.5 million tickets have been sold out so far.

The city is also busy preparing for next month's Australian Grand Prix with people showing little signs of spectator fatigue.

''We actually thought the grand prix might have tanked this year, for the first time in 12 years,'' said Mr Walker but ''There is a different demographic for motor racing than there is for athletics... and those people who really like their motorsport are buying tickets enormously.'' UNI HSB PM AY RK1255