UCD Gymnastics Club

“Delhi Commonwealth 2010″, these words have been on the lips of every Delhiite for the past year, the single biggest event to come to town after the Asian Games of 1982. People of Delhi are yet undecided on their verdict on these games. Some factions of the society think it’s absolutely appalling that the government is spending massive chunks of money to host these games, when so many people in Delhi and India sustain themselves without a single meal for the day.

Is it really that bad? Let me give you some facts that might just change your thinking of these games being held here. The Delhi government has already spent a whopping 1 lakh crores, yes that’s right. Money has been spent on building and renovating stadia around the city, the city’s infrastructure is having a complete makeover, in this zest to make Delhi into a Shanghai, the Delhi government has completely forgotten about the common man. Our honorary Chief Minister Sheila Dixit seems adamant about telling the people where the money is going, I thinking she needs to be reminded that this is after all the public money being spent. People have worked hard for this money and they have right to know where their money is going. Allegations of corruption in the working committee of the Commonwealth Games have been rampant, their have been irregularities with everything associated with the Commonwealth. The most frightening situation is to see the state of the city, we are just about two months away from the Games, and Delhi is in shambles, roads have been dug up everywhere, we are far away from being ready to host an international event of this caliber. Delhi is under the scanner of the entire world and all our politicians can do about it is, play the blame game.

Personally if you ask me, being a Delhiite I was mighty pleased with the news that we were going to host the Commonwealth. Yes, we could use this money to help the poor and the needy but we could have helped them five, ten, fifteen years back too. It’s the government what can you do about it. The Delhi government surely had enough money to take care of these situations earlier too, but they never did, different parties came to power and did nothing. When something good is actually happening to the city we should not be negative, it is actually the common man who is going to avail the benefits of these games. We’ll have better roads to drive on, cleaner pavements, better infrastructure and most of all the thing that makes me very happy is that people are talking about some other sporting event and not cricket. Our athletes are going to benefit, all the other sportsmen and sports that have been neglected for so many years will come into the limelight. We, the citizens should join hands with the government to take up the challenges. We have to work together in order to achieve the common purpose, the betterment of our beloved city, Dilli.

By: Santosh Rao

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The 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi, India are scheduled to proceed as planned starting this Friday, despite security concerns and continuing issues concerning venues and athlete accommodations. The Games, which have been plagued by delays, construction problems, fears of terrorist attacks, and accusations of corruption and ineptitude on the part of officials had led to speculations that the Games might not start on time, or proceed at all.

Though several top athletes have dropped out of the Games, it appears that the events will begin on schedule and that last minute frantic efforts to finish work on venues and lodging will be enough to ensure that the competition will take place, even if there are still a few problems. There have been widespread reports of unclean and unfinished rooms for athletes, with tales of breaking beds, snakes, and filth circulating through the world press. The attack on two foreign tourists has made many participants wary and two more Australian athletes have dropped out of the competition, along with several athletes from other countries, citing security concerns.

The embarrassment has been painful for organizers in India – it had been hoped that the Games would bring a positive spotlight to the country, as it proudly looked forward to hosting what had been billed as “the greatest Games ever”. At this point, the hope seems to be that the Games proceed without incident. So far, there has been very little publicity that India can be proud of and attendance is expected to be far lower than previously predicted. The boon to India’s image and economy is likely to be muted, at best.

If the Games proceed smoothly, there is a chance that the competition can have an overall benefit for those who call India home. Various improvements have been made to Delhi’s infrastructure and roadways and some of the venues are a valuable addition to the city. Perhaps India will learn some valuable lessons for hosting future international sports events. For those with friends and family in India or for those planning to attend the Commonwealth Games, there are cheap calls to India now being offered by a number of telecommunications companies. Chat with your loved ones or hear the latest Games results firsthand for just pennies a minute, 24/7.

By: Adrian Fisher

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