CGF praises OC, cites ''remarkable progress''

Praising the Organising Committee for the progress in the preparations for the Commonwealth Games (CWG), CGF Co-ordination Commission chairman Austin Sealy today expressed confidence that the capital will host a successful multi-sports event this October.

The Commonwealth Games Federation's (CGF) Coordination Commission has spent the past four days in the city, evaluating preparations for the Commonwealth Games that get underway in the Indian capital on October 3 - in just 151 days.

The Coordination Commission, which is on its final visit before the Games, received detailed presentations from the Organising Committee (OC) and its delivery partners.

It also received reports from the various venue construction agencies on the progress of competition venues, the athletes village, and other CWG infrastructure projects and undertook site visits to the main venues.

''It has been a fruitful visit. The progress since the last visit is remarkable,'' Sealy told reporters here.

''I congratulate the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) for the progress they have achieved. ''I also thank the government of India for their support,'' he added.

The CGF Co-ordination Commission chairman however, cautioned that the OC still has a lot of work to do before the CWG gets rolling, specially since some of the Games venues are still to be completed.

''Kalmadi and his team still has to cover a lot of work.

''The rest of the venues must be completed in time for the remaining test events. Particularly the Jawaharlal Nehru stadium and the swimming venue (Talkatora stadium),'' Sealy stated.

''But we are confident that all the work will be completed in time,' he added.

Expressing satisfaction with the security arrangements, he said,''The CGF Co-ordination Commission has been satisfied by the police and security. ''I would like to assure the participants and visitors that the security arrangements are top class and we have nothing to fear.'' Sealy was also happy with the level of interest shown by the sponsors in the CWG.

''I was pleasantly surprised with the amount of sponsorsorship that the Organising Committee has been able to attract. ''The amount of sponsorship is in fact, much larger than that of the previous Commonwealth Games in Melbourne

in 2006,'' he asserted.