Games Organising Committee to support Fiji’s cause

October 12th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The meeting of the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) General Assembly commenced here today. The meeting is being attended by Vice Patron of the CGF, Prince Edward, the Earl of Wessex.

October 12th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Mike Fennell, the President of the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF), has expressed satisfaction with the Indian government's assurances of support to ensure a successful holding of the event. Addressing delegates during a cultural function hosted by the Organising Committee at historic Qutub Minar here on Sunday, Fennell said: He said, "We have come here amidst many reports about Delhi's preparedness, which are not quite accurate, but Sport Minister Gill has given us all the assurance that all the resources that are necessary to ensure the successful celebrations of the Games in 2010, will be provided by the government." Earlier, Fennell had complained about the lack of preparations in New Delhi, and had written to the organisers expressing his concern at the organisers' reluctance to hire foreign experts and the tardy progress of work.

October 12th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Sports minister M.S. Gill said Monday that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has taken special interest in the 2010 Commonwealth Games and holds meetings regularly to ensure the success of the mega event that will be held here next year Oct 3-14.

October 11th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex and vice-patron of the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF), gave a thumbs-up to India's preparation for the 2010 Commonwealth Games here Sunday. Edward, who is here to attend Monday's CGF General Assembly, went around the city to inspect various venues and the Games Village being constructed for the mega event.

October 7th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Officials of member countries of the Commonwealth Games Federation (GGF) here for the General Assembly sounded optimistic about India successfully hosting the 2010 Games. A section of the CGF feels the apprehensions raised by chairman Mike Fennel are valid while others are of the view that some concerns are unfounded since the event is still 12 months away.

September 26th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Premier of the Australian state of Victoria John Brumby Saturday said that he was very impressed with the architecture of the infrastructure coming up for the 2010 Commonwealth Games (CWG), scheduled to take place in the Indian capital next year. During a visit to the headquarters of the Organising Committee of the 2010 CWG here, he said he had not forgotten the cultural show Delhi had put up at the closing ceremony of the Melbourne Games in 2006.

September 25th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Chairman of 2010 Commonwealth Games Organising Committee (CGOC) Suresh Kalmadi Friday said the various sub-committees will have to work towards a succcesful conduct of the Games. We have to go in full speed to ensure the Commonwealth Games next year are the best, Kalmadi told chairpersons and vice-chairpersons of the 23 sub-committees formed to help conduct the Games.

September 22nd, 2009 NEW DELHI - Calling it a matter of pride for the nation, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Tuesday said his government would spare no effort to ensure that the 2010 Commonwealth Games to be hosted here are successfully conducted. "The government is fully aware that national prestige is at stake, and it would provide complete support to the Organising Committee," Manmohan Singh said during a meeting with Commonwealth Organising Committee chairman Suresh Kalmadi, according to a statement issued by the committee.

September 22nd, 2009 NEW DELHI - The organising committee of Commonwealth Games 2010 on Tuesday joined hands with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry as partner to effectively use Commonwealth Games' platform to facilitate deeper economic and trade relationships amongst the Commonwealth fraternity. This coming together of a national sports body and a national business chamber is expected to galvanize the sports and the business communities into spearheading and spreading the culture of sports.

September 16th, 2009 NEW DELHI - As if taking a cue from the Indian government, chairman of the Commonwealth Games Organising committee Suresh Kalmadi Wednesday announced his own austerity drive by cancelling two important functions in connection with the 2010 Games. Kalmadi, a Congress member of Parliament, told reporters at his first full-fledged news conference at the new headquarters of the organising committee that a musical show by Oscar-winning music director A.R.

September 15th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Sports Minister M.S. Gill Tuesday met Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president Suresh Kalmadi and secretary general Randhir Singh separately in the backdrop of the Commonwealth Games Federation chief Michael Fennell expressing scepticism over India's ability to host the 2010 Games.

September 14th, 2009 NEW DELHI - A four-month old Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report seems to have alarmed Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) president Michael Fennell so much that he shot off a letter to the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) to seek the intervention of the Prime Minister in the organization of the 2010 Commonwealth Games. A top official of the organising committee told IANS that the CAG report had details of last year's preparation but development work including construction of venues and organisation have improved rapidly in the last few month.

September 14th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on Monday rebutted criticism of her government's efforts on preparations for the Commonwealth Games to be held in the national capitalext year. Reacting to Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) president Mike Fennell's concerns about the organizing committee's ability to deliver, Dikshit said that she had not received or read Fennell's letter to Suresh Kalmadi, but was confident that the games preparations are going as per schedule.

July 6th, 2009 NEW DELHI - A major chunk of the Rs.2,264 crore ($453 million) allotted for the 2010 Commonwealth Games in this year's union budget will be spent to renovate stadiums. About Rs.1,385 crore will be spent for renovation of Sports Authority of India (SAI) stadiums while Rs.180 crore will be utilised in preparing athletes for the games that will be held here Oct 3-14 next year.

June 5th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The organising committee of the 2010 Commonwealth Games launched a green games initiative on World Environment day here Friday. Jasmine saplings on behalf of 71 participating nations were planted in the "Commonwealth Garden of 71".