A rightful share of the praise heaped on the Organising Committee of the Commonwealth Games (CWG) for a spectacular inaugural function including the laser show should also go to West Bengal, for the much-required electricity for the Games is being supplied by the state.
To ensure spectators at matches that do not feature the host nations, Tournament Director of next year's cricket World Cup in the sub-continent, Ratnakar Shetty, said the ticket prices would be kept nominal.
International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Jacques Rogge will provide a much-needed lift for the troubled Commonwealth Games when he visits the site of the multi-sports gathering on Friday.
People like Bhanot have uses; we just know how to spot the opportunities and use them. Since he knows the difference between the world's best sanitation habits and those in India, we should use him, says Mahesh Vijapurkar.
President Pratibha Patil, not Prince Charles, will officially declare the Commonwealth Games open in Delhi on Sunday. This is the first time the royal family has been denied the traditional honour, the Daily Mail claimed.
Starting the 100-day countdown to this year's Commonwealth Games, the Queen's Baton Relay arrived in India from Pakistan through the historic Wagah Border in Amristar, on Friday. Chairman of the CWG Organising Committee Suresh Kalmadi, received the baton from Pakistan Olympic Association president Lt Gen Syed Arif Hassan at the international border, where the Commonwealth Games Federation chief Mike Fennell was also present.
Taking a U-turn, CGF CEO Mike Hooper on Sunday owned up the responsibility for the mess around the Commonwealth Games after blaming India's central and state governments for all the problems.
"I am innocent till proven guilty," a beleaguered Suresh Kalmadi said after CBI raided his house in New Delhi and questioned him for eight hours over allegations of bungling in the conduct of the sporting extravaganza.
In the eye of a storm over the shoddy state of the Commonwealth Games Village, Organising Committee chairman Suresh Kalmadi finally broke his silence on Thursday saying that the international chefs de mission are much "happier than before" with the state of affairs.
Justice (Retd) Mukul Mudgal, who was appointed observer for the India versus South Africa Test match at the Feroz Shah Kotla last month, will be submitting his detailed report to the court on January 18. Justice Mudgal was appointed by the Delhi High Court after Delhi & Districts Cricket Association (DDCA) moved court when the state government did not give the requisite permission to hold the Test match. "I will be submitting my report on the Delhi Test match to the Honourable High Court on January 18," Justice Mudgal told PTI on Thursday.
Wales have given Delhi organisers until later on Wednesday to guarantee that the Commonwealth Games venues and athletes' village are safe for the country's 200 athletes.
The Commonwealth Games Organising Committee told media persons that they would be addressing the concerns of some of the nations regarding hygiene at the Games Village on a 'war footing'.
First images from the Commonwealth Games.
Several missed deadlines later, the venues of the Commonwealth Games are now completely ready, said organising committee Chairman Suresh Kalmadi, claiming that the preparedness is such that events can now be held at the stadiums on an hour's notice.
Indian Olympic Association vice-president Vijay Kumar Malhotra said the idea to let the spectators use vuvuzela during the Commonwealth Games will "disturb" athletes and prove "counter-productive".
A Delhi court on Saturday sent former CWG Organising Committee official M Jayachandran to 11 days' judicial custody in the case related to alleged financial bungling in conduct of the Queen's Baton Relay (QBR) in London last year.
Oscar winning music composer A R Rahman on Saturday launched the theme song of the Commonwealth Games with a rendering of "Oh yaaro, yeh India bula liya" at a glittering ceremony in Gurgaon.
Pained by reports of his alleged involvement in the Commonwealth Games-related scam, former Organising Committee chairman Suresh Kalmadi said he will resign as Member of Parliament in case any proof of him having taken even a single rupee surfaces.
No Indian function is complete without a sumptuous spread of food. Fortunately, the controversy-ridden Commonwealth Games Organising Committee will maintain that tradition when guests descend in New Delhi for the October 3-14 extravaganza.
'Officially, Suresh Kalmadi had only Rs 6.7 billion to play around with as the Commonwealth Games boss. As against this, Sheila Dikshit's government was allocated Rs 16.56 billion to upgrade the capital's infrastructure in time for the Games.'
The Sports Ministry on Tuesday directed the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee (OC) to immediately release Rs 1.75 crore interest-free loan to the Indian Weightlifting Federation (IWF) so that it can pay the doping fine of US$ 375,000 to the international parent body before the August 31 deadline.
In yet another damaging revelation, a British company reportedly charged the Delhi Commonwealth Games Organising Committee more than double of what a rival firm was offering for doing the overlays work at venues.
Initially the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee had considered giving the whole catering contract to Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation as cost-cutting measure but the proposal could not materialize as IRCTC made inordinate delays in responding, the OC said on Saturday.
All allegations of corruption against Delhi Commonwealth Games organisers should be probed, CGF chief Mike Fennell said as he wrapped up a two-day inspection of the venues by identifying some areas of concern, which need to be addressed immediately.
Racing against time, the government formed a committee of senior bureaucrats to oversee the work at the Commonwealth Games venues virtually stripping Organising Committee Chairman Suresh Kalmadi of his powers.
Satisfied with the preparation of Commonwealth Games venues, Organising Committee vice-chairman Randhir Singh on Monday said all the stadiums are in "top-class shape" and will be ready by August 25.
Denying any role in the alleged money trail during the Queen's Baton Relay (QBR) launch in London last year, Commonwealth Games Organising Committee (OC) Director General VK Verma on Thursday held sacked officials T S Darbari and Sanjay Mohindroo responsible for all the deals at that time.
Commonwealth Games Organising Committee chairman Suresh Kalamadi came under pressure from within the Congress over his continuance in the post in the wake of corruption allegations.
In a bid to clear his name from any possible corruption taint, Commonwealth Games Organising Committee chairman Suresh Kalmadi wrote a letter to Congress MPs ahead of the debate in Parliament, denying any financial irregularities in conducting the Queen's Baton Relay.
Acting on the persistent plea of the Sports Ministry, the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee on Monday terminated the services of its tainted Joint Director General T S Darbari in the wake of the corruption scandal that has rocked the event.
Suspended Organising Committee Joint Director General T S Darbari claims he is not involved in the Queen's Baton Relay financial irregularities case and has become a victim of media campaign.
Organising Committee chairman Suresh Kalmadi on Monday assured the members of the Coordination Commission (CoCom) of the Commonwealth Games Federation that considerable progress has been made in all areas towards successfully hosting the 2010 Delhi Games.
The committee will float the tender by September 15, less than three weeks before the Games begin in New Delhi.
"I have come to the CBI on directions of the Court. I am answering every questions being posed to me," Sanjay Mahendroo, Kalmadi's aide, told PTI. Asked if he is willing to turn an approver, Mahendroo said, "Then also (if he turns an approver) I will say the same things that I telling the CBI now."
With the fall in sponsorship amount, coupled with poor ticket and merchandise sale, the total revenue collection of the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee is expected to come down to Rs 600 crore only against an expenditure of about Rs 1,820 crore.
Commonwealth Games Organsing Committee Chairman Suresh Kalmadi took all the criticism he faced in his stride, but he's not the villain he's made out to be, says Sudhir Bisht.
The Organising Committee of the games (CWG-OC) hopes to foster business ties with other Commonwealth nations and is in talks with South Africa, Scotland, Australia and the United Kingdom to sign agreements in the areas of IT, pharmaceuticals and tourism.
The Income Tax department has collected documents pertaining to tenders and award of contracts for its "two pronged" probe into the finances of the Commonwealth Games even as a high-level committee headed by a former CAG goes into allegations of corruption related to the mega sporting event.
The United States set a world record of three minutes and 50.40 seconds in the women's 4x100m medley relay final at the world championships on Sunday.
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