Indian Olympic Association (IOA) secretary-general Randhir Singh has called for a revamp of the New Delhi Commonwealth Games’ organizing committee after widespread concerns over preparations for the event.

Commonwealth Games Federation president Mike Fennell has sought a meeting with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to seek his help in the buildup to the Games scheduled from October 3-14 next year.

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India is somewhat nervous over the build-up for next year’s Commonwealth Games, New Delhi chief minister said on Monday after new concerns over staging the games.

“See, we are satisfied, but we are also nervous,” chief minister Sheila Dikshit told reporters, a day after tardy progress of various games-related work was again thrust into the spotlight.

Serious concerns have been raised over the Oct. 3-14 games next year after Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) president Mike Fennell wrote to organisers.

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Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) president Mike Fennell has requested an urgent meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh over the slow pace of work ahead of next year’s New Delhi games, the PTI news agency reported on Sunday.

“With only a year to run until the Games, I feel I must personally brief the prime minister of India on the lack of preparations and seek his input in developing an appropriate recovery plan,” PTI quoted Fennell as saying.

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The Commonwealth said on Tuesday it had suspended Fiji after the Pacific Island nation failed to meet a deadline for opening talks on a return to democracy.

“This is an announcement I make with deep regret — it is a step the Commonwealth is now obliged to take, and one that it takes in sorrow,” Commonwealth Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma said in a statement announcing Fiji’s full suspension from the grouping of 53 nations, mostly former British colonies.

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Describing the protests by Prasar Bharati employees against the decision of Chief Executive Officer B S Lalli to go in for global tenders for coverage of the Commonwealth Games as ‘misplaced’, highly-placed sources in DD Sports told indiantelevision.com that outsourcing by the host broadcaster for live coverage of international sporting events was a normal practice since one broadcaster could not be expected to have expertise in covering all events.

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The organisers of next year’s Commonwealth Games in the capital will try to use the mega sporting event as a platform to promote India as a perfect destination for business opportunities.

The Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) has joined hands with the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee to host business promotion meets across all the 71 Commonwealth countries before the event commences in October.
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Australia has played down security concerns for next year’s Commonwealth Games in Delhi, saying local organisers had shown they were capable of ensuring athletes’ safety amid instability in the region.

“As far as we’re concerned, it’s all go now and there’s no issues with (security),” Australian Commonwealth Games Association chief executive Perry Crosswhite told Reuters on Thursday.

Security concerns have heightened in south Asia since militant attacks in Mumbai last November killed 166 people. Read the full story

The turmoil prevailing in the neighbouring countries has made it necessary for India to be extremely careful about the security arrangements for next year’s Commonwwealth Games, according to Organising Committee Chairman Suresh Kalmadi.

“We have to be very careful about the security. There would be a general assembly of all the Commonwealth countries, who would be meeting in Delhi in October this year. We would have to satisfy them about the security arrangments,” Read the full story

Zee News reports the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) is worried that several new venues for the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games are falling behind schedule.

CGF President Michael Fennel said, “we are concerned that some of the construction deadlines will not be met. But there is still time and if the new deadlines are met, that’s fine”.

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Cricket has become an Asian Games sport after it was approved by the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) on Wednesday. It will make its debut in Guangzhou in 2010 with India and Pakistan pledging to send their best available teams.

The format of the game will be Twenty20, with both men’s and women’s competitions. India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh will qualify automatically, along with host nation China. Other countries will have to play a qualifying Read the full story