Games organizers face more trouble as scandal widens
Source: Agencies |
August 4, 2010, Wednesday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
THE dire buildup to the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi has deteriorated further, with the organizing committee urged to fire two senior officials amid a brewing corruption scandal just two months before the opening ceremonies.
Commonwealth Games organizing committee chairman Suresh Kalmadi had already ordered an emergency executive board meeting for this week when local media reported he'd been asked by India's sports ministry to remove his director general T S Darbari and deputy director general Sanjay Mohindroo.
In a letter to Kalmadi, Sports Secretary Sindhushree Khullar asked Kalmadi to take action after the names of the two high-ranking organizing committee members figured in the investigations into "alleged irregularities" related to the Queen's Baton Relay in London, the Press Trust of India reported yesterday.
"Matters such as the UK payments and alleged customs inquiry against Darbari raise questions of probity and integrity," Khullar wrote in the letter Sunday, according to PTI. "They tarnish the image of the Games and adversely affect its credibility ... I would strongly advise you that the two officers should be immediately relieved of all their duties."
Under pressure
The organizers have been under pressure for more than a year since it became apparent that delays in construction meant none of the games venues would be finished before deadline. With infrastructure projects around the city also well behind schedule, the Indian capital is involved in a race against time to be ready to host the October 3-14 Commonwealth Games - the biggest sporting event here since the 1982 Asian Games.
India's Central Vigilance Commission has issued a report highlighting concerns regarding building practices and potential problems surrounding the certifying of the work. On Saturday, Kalmadi rejected allegations of wrongdoing in the organizing committee's payments to a small London-based company for services including car hire, portable toilets and road barriers during the launch of the games' torch relay in London last October.
"I am deeply pained by totally unfounded and baseless allegations," Kalmadi said, adding that he planned to start defamation action against a TV channel.
The Commonwealth Games Federation has asked for clarification following the release of the negative report by the Indian government.
Commonwealth Games organizing committee chairman Suresh Kalmadi had already ordered an emergency executive board meeting for this week when local media reported he'd been asked by India's sports ministry to remove his director general T S Darbari and deputy director general Sanjay Mohindroo.
In a letter to Kalmadi, Sports Secretary Sindhushree Khullar asked Kalmadi to take action after the names of the two high-ranking organizing committee members figured in the investigations into "alleged irregularities" related to the Queen's Baton Relay in London, the Press Trust of India reported yesterday.
"Matters such as the UK payments and alleged customs inquiry against Darbari raise questions of probity and integrity," Khullar wrote in the letter Sunday, according to PTI. "They tarnish the image of the Games and adversely affect its credibility ... I would strongly advise you that the two officers should be immediately relieved of all their duties."
Under pressure
The organizers have been under pressure for more than a year since it became apparent that delays in construction meant none of the games venues would be finished before deadline. With infrastructure projects around the city also well behind schedule, the Indian capital is involved in a race against time to be ready to host the October 3-14 Commonwealth Games - the biggest sporting event here since the 1982 Asian Games.
India's Central Vigilance Commission has issued a report highlighting concerns regarding building practices and potential problems surrounding the certifying of the work. On Saturday, Kalmadi rejected allegations of wrongdoing in the organizing committee's payments to a small London-based company for services including car hire, portable toilets and road barriers during the launch of the games' torch relay in London last October.
"I am deeply pained by totally unfounded and baseless allegations," Kalmadi said, adding that he planned to start defamation action against a TV channel.
The Commonwealth Games Federation has asked for clarification following the release of the negative report by the Indian government.
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