'2010 Commonwealth Games will be the best ever'

Doha, Dec 14 (UNI) The 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi will the best ever and set a new bench mark in the history of the sporting extravaganzas, IOA chief Suresh Kalmadi said here today.

''The 2010 Games will attain new heights in every aspect of the multi-disciplinary sporting extravaganza,'' the Indian Olympic association (IOA) chief promised.

He lavished praised on the organisers of the Doha Asian Games saying, ''DAGOC has set new standards and everybody including Delhi will find it tough to match them.'' Kalmadi was pleasantly surprised on what he saw in Doha and said the organisation and the conduct of the Games was at par with the Olympics.

''I will even say that DAGOC has even surpassed the Olympic standards with its meticulous arrangements for the media and the officials,'' he said.

''Every thing is superb, from the stadia, athlete village, media centre and transports, every thing is marvellous,'' he added.

Kalmadi said, ''Now I can go and ask my government for more funds, I can tell them with proof what Doha has done and I will tell them that to better Doha standard's we will have to something more extra ordinary.'' The IOA chief said he was happy, though not very happy, with India's showing in these Games.

''We have got 51 medals, far more than previous Games (except in New Delhi) and encouraging thing is that medals are spread to 16 events, last time 36 came from eight disciplines.

''We did get some teams which were not cleared by the Government, because it was a place to get them exposure at not much cost. We could have got that much exposure at such less cost,'' he added.

''We have to prepare for the 2010 and 2014 Asian Games. We need more funds to build the infrastructure and prepare athletes for medals. We have asked the Government for Rs 1500 crore for athletes' preparations,'' he said.

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