"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.

England deny Games withdrawal fears

ENGLAND'S Commonwealth Games officials insist they have received no security warnings to indicate the team must withdraw from the New Delhi event next year.
England general team manager Ann Hogbin issued a strong denial of a front page report in Wednesday's edition of the Daily Telegraph that claimed there was ``virtually no chance'' a team would be sent.

An online version of the report quoted unnamed political sources as saying that the formal pullout would be announced in the new year because safety there could not be guaranteed.

``That is definitely not the case. Our current and strong intention is to field a team for the games in Delhi next year,'' Hogbin said in a statement to The Associated Press. ``Of course, we have a duty of care to the athletes and other team members which we take very seriously.

``Despite having been given extensive briefings from relevant authorities, we have not received any indication that we should not participate in the games and we will continue to work hard to put in place the best possible arrangements for our team.''

Britain's Foreign Office told the AP that it 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,'' the statement added. ``We continue to work closely with the Indian authorities who are doing everything they can to ensure a safe and secure games.''

The Telegraph claimed that Paul Stephenson, commissioner of London's Metropolitan Police, voiced ``serious concerns'' about security arrangements in New Delhi following a visit this month.

Security at the Oct. 3-14 event has been under scrutiny since last year's terrorist strikes in Mumbai and the March attack on Sri Lanka's cricket team in neighboring Pakistan.

Safety concerns and lax security were cited this year when England's badminton team pulled out of the world championships in Hyderabad, and Australia refused to play a Davis Cup match in Chennai.

The Commonwealth Games are set to be the biggest multiple-sport event staged in India since the 1982 Asian Games.

Organizers are expecting nearly 8,000 athletes and officials from 71 nations and territories, along with nearly 30 heads of states.

This year, India's Home Secretary Gopal Krishna Pillai said he was not aware of security threats to the games, and added that no special security measures will be undertaken for athletes from specific countries.

England may pull out of Commonwealth Games

There appears to be a genuine risk of England pulling out of next year's Commonwealth Games in India with police and security advisers fearing the team will be the target of Pakistani militants.

UK Metropolitan Police Commissioner Paul Stephenson visited Delhi earlier this month to inspect the Games sites and is said to have voiced serious concerns about the security arrangements.

A spokeswoman for the English Commonwealth Games has told the Daily Telegraph newspaper that the security situation is being monitored and a final decision on whether to take part will be made next year.

The UK's Daily Telegraph says advisers feel the safety of athletes cannot currently be guaranteed.

It would be the first time England has not competed in the 80-year history of the Games, to be held in New Delhi in October.

The report comes after the England badminton team pulled out of the world championships in India in August, saying security in the host city of Hyderabad was lax.

New Zealand's commitment to participating in the Commonwealth Games has not changed according to New Zealand's Olympic Committee.