"Teams not advised to miss Delhi"

The Foreign Office today stressed it had not advised any British teams not to compete in next year's Commonwealth Games.

A front-page report in the Daily Telegraph quotes a senior Whitehall source saying there was "virtually no chance" an England team would be sent to Delhi due to security concerns.

However, a statement from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) read: "The FCO has not advised any of the British teams not to participate in the Commonwealth Games.

"We are aware that the Commonwealth Games Federation had some concerns about preparations for the Games.

"We continue to work closely with the Indian authorities who are doing everything they can to ensure a safe and secure Games."

The issue of security for the Games has been under scrutiny since a number of terrorist incidents in the region and several major sporting events have already been moved from the subcontinent.

The England team withdrew from the World Badminton Championships in Hyderabad in August after terrorist threats.

In March the Sri Lanka cricket team were ambushed while being driven to a match in Lahore, Pakistan. Twelve gunmen attacked their convoy, killing eight Pakistanis and injuring six Sri Lankan players.

After that incident, the Indian Premier League was moved to South Africa.