Countdown for Commonwealth Games begins

New Delhi, Oct 4 (ANI): The countdown for the Commonwealth Games, to be hosted by India in 2010, is marked by the unveiling of a Commonwealth clock.

The 12-day event, which starts from October 3, 2010, at the 75,000-capacity Jawaharal Nehru Stadium in the heart of New Delhi, will be India's first major international sports event after the 1982 Asian Games.

Lalit Bhanot, Secretary General of the Organising Committee for the 2010 Commonwealth Games, said that the Commonwealth Games would be the best ever event in the history of the games.

"This Commonwealth Games will be the best ever Commonwealth Games. On this aspect, the Commonwealth Games Federation General Assembly is going to meet. We will assure them that all preparations and every thing will be done on time," said Bhanot.

VK Malhotra, member of the Commonwealth Organising Committee for 2010 ommonwealth Games, who unveiled the clock, praised for the infrastructure being put in place, ahead of the Games.

"The Commonwealth Games that will be held in New Delhi next year will be a very successful one. It will be one of the best Commonwealth Games so far considering the kind of infrastructure we have," said Malhotra.

These optimistic statements and the unveiling of the countdown clock are significant in the wake of certain apprehensions which Mike Fennell, President of the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) voiced recently.

Fennell had said that there are 'enormous' challenges facing the event and had urged New Delhi organisers to hire a slew of foreign experts to ensure the Games are a success.

He had written to organisers in September expressing concern at their reluctance to hire foreign experts and the tardy progress of work.

Fennell also demanded an urgent meeting with Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh to help hastening of the preparations for the games. (ANI)