Commonwealth Games boycott to rest with athletes

THE Rudd government has singled out athletes' safety at this year's Delhi Commonwealth Games as a top priority.

"At this stage there is no reason for concern, but we will continue to apply the strictest endeavours to ensure their safety," Acting Foreign Minister Simon Crean said yesterday.

But Mr Crean stopped short of calling on Australia to boycott the Games in October.

"The decision on whether to attend the games remained with the individual athletes. It isn't a decision for the government as to whether the team actually goes," he said.

Australian-born Sri Lanka cricket coach Trevor Bayliss backed calls by former England batsman Chris Broad for tighter security at all major sporting events in hot spots on the subcontinent.

It follows the shooting of three Togo soccer officials at the African Nations Cup tournament.

Bayliss, like Broad, almost lost his life in a terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan team in Lahore last March.

"Watching news footage of the Togo team being shot at brought back a lot of bad memories," Bayliss said.

"But how much security is too much security. I know just how those Togo soccer players are feeling right now."

Australian Commonwealth Games Association chief executive Perry Crosswhite said sport had been seen as a soft target for terrorist groups since the attack on Israeli athletes at the 1972 Munich Olympics.

Opposition sports spokesman Steve Ciobo said no gold medal was worth risking athletes' lives.

"The Rudd government must provide an assurance to Australian athletes and their familieis they will be completely safe," he said.

Opposition foreign affairs spokeswoman Julie Bishop said if there were safety concerns, the government would need to immediately review security arrangements.

Ms Bishop said attacks on Indian students in Melbourne had resulted in a "perception problem" for Australia in India.