Athletes Commonwealth Games concern

AUSTRALIA'S swim stars say they fear for the safety of their family and friends at New Delhi's Commonwealth Games.

The spotlight on security concerns surrounding the October Games in India has intensified after a leading security consultant warned athletes would be at risk of terror attacks.

While athletes contacted by the Herald Sun yesterday said they would trust the advice of team security advisers, ensuring that their family and friends would be safe was a major concern.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's travel advice for India is to proceed with a "high degree of caution".

Olympic champion Leisel Jones said she would follow official recommendations and trusted the team would not be sent into danger.

But Jones said her "biggest concern" was how safe her mother, Rosemary, would be in public streets and hotels.

"It's as safe as houses in those villages, there is security at every single gate and screenings that you go through," Jones said yesterday.

"We are at least safe, but (family) may not be and you would have to take that into account. If family were thinking of going over, you might recommend that they didn't."

World champion breaststroker Brenton Rickard was confident security staff would make the right decisions for the team.

"You are going to be more concerned for your friends and family coming to watch that have to be out in public places that are less secure than the village and our actual facilities," he said.

Rickard's mother Collette, who heads the Parents Of Our Swimmers group, said there was concern among the parents for spectator safety.

Rickard said she would seek security advice from Swimming Australia and the Australian Commonwealth Games Association.

"I think everyone is reasonably hopeful that between the Indian Commonwealth Games people and the Australian Commonwealth Games people they can sort out the security for the swimmers," she said.

"It's for anyone who goes to support them and who is out in the public sort of areas ... that is probably a bit more of a concern to most of us."

Olympic and world pole vault champion Steve Hooker said he intends to defend his Commonwealth title in Delhi despite security concerns.

"The Commonwealth Games is the major outdoor title available to Australians in 2010 and my view at the moment is that I intend to be there to defend the title I won four years ago in Melbourne," Hooker said, who is happy that Athletics Australia supports the idea of athletes flying in for their event and flying straight out.

Olympic diving gold medallist Matthew Mitcham said he would compete, and veteran butterflyer Geoff Huegill said he would discuss safety with his family if he gained selection.