Race against time to fix scoring gear

It's a race against time for the Commonwealth Games  organising committee (OC) and Swiss Timing, the international firm chosen to install the timing scoring result (TSR). The deadline for TSR installation is Friday and sources said most venues are yet to get the required equipment.
The TSR, incidentally, is the single most important equipment for the Commonwealth Games as it's crucial in computing event results. The system includes the On Venue Result (OVR) system and the Games Time Sports Equipment.

Compounding the problem is the tight security at the venues, said the sources. ''Equipment for installation of the system has to be sent to the venues across the city. But security is so tight that getting access to the venues is a major problem. Many people working on the project have not got the required accreditation,'' they said.

Shortage of vehicles with venue access permits (VAPs) has only added to the delay, said officials. The police are only allowing vehicles with VAPs to enter the venues. The TSR installation team is apparently scrambling to resolve the problem.

For the TSR to work effectively, a whole range of sports equipment like photo finish cameras, swimming touch pads, therma sensors, scoreboards etc needs to be set up.

The TSR system was to be commissioned in the last week of September. Games officials had then claimed that the late date of commissioning was not a problem, especially as it had cut down on the rental that the OC was paying for the use of the TSR. The argument given was that commissioning the TSR would take only a few days as it required little testing. The OC had instead set up test labs to simulate Games-time situation.

Interestingly, TSR installation was delayed as some of the equipment were used in the Youth Olympics in Singapore and could be made available only after August-end.

The OC had received additional funds of Rs 687.06 crore specifically for the overlays from the government with the rider that the TSR should be operational one month before the Games.