Commonwealth Games 2010

Africa as the nation of action has been portrayed by the think tanks, economists, policy makers etc., all, and the Football World Cup has not come at a more opportune time for the country. It has show cased to the world that indeed its moment of arrival is just around the corner and the image of pecuniary, poverty etc., is a thing of the past, and the country is ready to take off.

Now consider the situation that Delhi is in right now! The Commonwealth Games are just two months away, and the first shower of rains has left whole of Delhi inundated and has raised questions about the preparedness of the authorities. The vicinity of the Commonwealth Games Village has been flooded and there could not be a bad publicity for the game than what has happened owing to the rains. Whole of Delhi is water-logged, and the authorities had gone to the town proclaiming that they are prepared in terms of infrastructure to hold the games.  It is now a question of credibility as also the reputation risk that Delhi would be facing if the infrastructural facilities are not up to the mark.

As it is, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India has raised serious concerns about the manner in the contracts have been awarded for setting up the Games village in Delhi. Billions have been spent for “preparing” Delhi for the Commonwealth Games, but one rain has put all the preparations to a naught. Basheer Badr had written that with the first shower of the monsoons, the real colors of the buildings come out; it seems to be happening in the case of Delhi as well.

One thing is for sure, arrangements of these kinds need professional involvement to deliver at the right time. It cannot be left to the government agencies to deliver. The expertise is available in abundance and the authorities need to seek the advice to use the platform of Commonwealth Games to tell the world that indeed India is ready for the leap.

Sports events of the international kind have been used all over the world to tell the world that a country has arrived. China did it successfully with the Olympics Games, while South Africa did it twice over with IPL and now the Football World Cup tournament. One only hopes that India does not flounder in this regard!

By: Suman Rai

Tags: Africa, Commonwealth Games, Commonwealth Games Village, Delhi, Football World Cup, India, Sports