Are they going to happen?
British Gymnasts try out their accommodation in the athletes’ village.
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Boadicea's Chariot 
Bravo, I imagine the teams’ insurance brokers have something to say about all this. If the games get going and disasters happen…….
I’ve not heard much from other countries than the UK.
I heard ‘uninhabitable’ last night, I know that their are millions here who would disagree, (perhaps hundreds of millions in India).
What were the organisers thinking when they allocated such an important event to a third world country.
Soutie, the Antipodeans have already expressed their concerns too.
Janus, don’t tell me that my fellow Southern Hemisphereans have also complained. Unlike them to moan about the odd leaky roof or broken window!
I heard an interview on the BBC World Service with the head honcho (I think,) for the games – a New Zealander, in which he described the athletes’ village as uninhabitable, dirty, unfinished, dogs and excrement…
The you have the collapse of the walkway and now a ceiling in one of the sites, plus all of the reports of corruption, kickbacks, shoddy, unsafe work and inferior materials…dengue epidemic…
World discus champion Dani Samuels (Australia,) world triple jump champion Phillips Idowu (UK,) and the Man, Usain Bolt (need I say more?) amongst others have all pulled out.
“New Zealand’s swimming team left today for Abu Dhabi, with an official saying another competition was in the pipeline if the Games are cancelled. Australian and Canadian squads are in Singapore and the British in Doha, suggesting another Asian meet could be hastily organised.”
Reuters report here: http://www.eyewitnessnews.co.za/articleprog.aspx?id=49106
It seems that Prince Philip was right after all, vis a vis Indian workmanship.
I cannot understand this state of affairs, our favourite Indian Restuarant in Wapping High Street, Macrupee’s, is a very nice building.
OMG, as the proprietor says, “Verry nice”?
Auntie says, “New Zealand is the latest country, after Canada and Scotland, to delay the arrival of its athletes in Delhi for the event which begins on 3 October.”
Hardly surprising they are complaining after looking at the pictures from the Sports Council.
Are you telling me that a bunch of 17-25 year olds are put off by this?
What the F***et are they expecting, I drink regularly in bars with facilities worse than this. Perhaps down here we’re happy just to get on with the task at hand.
Basic hygiene is important for the health of the athletes, Soutie. I wouldn’t use those facilities
That actually looks far, far cleaner than the majority of SF Bay Area muni loos.
Pseu
I understand that you wouldn’t, you’re not on the team, I think it laughable that the Commonwealth Games Committee want to spread their franchise (it can’t be in Manchester every time) and yet then complain when facilities are not up to ‘standard’
Re-read my #2, there are millions down here without toilets or running water (and probably 100’s of millions in India)
I was at the Maranatha street children’s home today, they’re happy to simply have a roof over their heads.
I’m afraid that too many on here have ‘lost the plot’ (I haven’t even mentioned availability of electricity yet!) my advice is go for it, have fun, sure you might be inconvenienced with ‘Deli Belly’ or similar, so what?
Global events are simply that, if they can’t stand the heat then stay in Europe.
(I haven’t quite finished my comment as I’d of wished but I’m being called elsewhere, I’m sure that most here get the point)
By the way our 1pm radio news reported today that over 70 children died from measles during the last month or so, perhaps it’s all about priorities.
Hi Bravo, since they are now saying child labour has been used & additional children are now being bussed in , I believe the UK should pull out on that excuse alone. Seeing children nailing / screwing the seats down I would not be at all happy to use that stadium the potential consequences are quite horrific.
I thought we had decided to bypass child sweatshops years ago so I do feel this is just as bad.Children should be at school.
Janus also has a point about insurance companies, should an athlete go down with Dengue fever or have an accident due to faulty workmanship……… will they pay out ? My knowledge of insurers says no, they won’t.
It’s all a great shame, but I think we should pull out.
Soutie. You’re not the only one here who has had to put up with conditions worse than this. Had the organisers said, ‘bring a tent, a mosquito net and plenty of repellent,’ Perhaps the young athletes might have signed up anyway. Since they are now saying come and live in shitty, possibly dangerous, jerry built flats… Personally. I’d tell them to sod off.
Soutie, the fact that you find these pictures acceptable speaks volumes about South Africa! Just shows you what an expensive front your country put up for that bloody football, should have spent the money on the peasants instead.
Of course the whole thing should be cancelled, needs a wrecking ball. I can’t even begin to understand people risking their health in this shit hole just to run in circles, mostly need a lunatic asylum.
Straitjackets at the airport would be a nice touch.
As I drove along the new airport road today on my return from the children’s home I silently marveled (again) at the wonderful infrastructure that the World Cup forced our locals to build, my route then took me past our magnificent new stadium (now the home of EP Rugby and almost paying it’s way.)
95% of the money was spent on us (the peasants!), benefits of which will be enjoyed by future generations for a long long time.
Bravo, Sky have just reported that the England team will go, Wales are also going (2 cyclists withdrew though, I’d never pick them again, hopefully some other young hopeful can take their places)
I think that my point is, I see loads on here about the ‘kid gloves’ treatment of the footballers and their lifestyles, I little adversity and the whole of the British press have a cadenza! Perhaps the athletes should be issued a tin of paint and a brush on departure and told to quickly finish the job on their arrival 😉