Email taunts foreign athletes in India

Australian sporting bodies are alert but not alarmed by new terrorist threats against athletes due to compete in India.

A Pakistani militant with links to al-Qaeda, Ilyas Kashmiri, has warned the international community against sending competitors to the Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket, hockey's World Cup and the Commonwealth Games, according to media reports.

The Hong Kong-based Asia Times Online website said Kashmiri sent the warning by email, Fairfax newspapers reported on Wednesday.

Chief executive of the Australian Commonwealth Games Association Perry Crosswhite said he had discussed the threats with the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFAT).

"They're looking into it, as far as the validity of it, and also the authenticity of it," he told ABC Radio.

"At this point we haven't certainly changed anything."

Coach of the Australian men's hockey team Ric Charlesworth said he wasn't overly concerned either.

However, the Kookaburras, due to play in Delhi's World Cup event in 10 days time, have been assigned an armed guard.

"There are people who know better than us who are looking at these things closely," he said.

The Australian Cricketers' Association chief executive Paul Marsh agreed the threat level in India had escalated.

"We've gone from a situation where the threat levels in India have been concerning in recent times but now your looking at a probably legitimate, direct threat against the event," he said.

But changes to the travel plans of IPL players would not be made until closer to their departure date.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd on Wednesday said Australian authorities were in the "closest possible" contact with their Indian counterparts over the threats.

"Indian authorities have pledged to implement strong security procedures for all upcoming sporting events in India," he said.

"We, however, will be following this very, very closely."

There was no immediate plan to upgrade the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's travel advisory for the country, Mr Rudd said.

Travellers are advised to exercise a high level of caution due to the threat of terrorism in India.