Delhi University does its bit for promotion of Games

Delhi University admission seekers, who were in the office of the Dean of Students' Welfare on the North Campus on Wednesday, found themselves racking their brains to come up with correct answers to a quiz on the Commonwealth Games.

A booth was set up by the Games Organising Committee especially for out-station admission seekers to brief them about the event, venues and the various Games highlights. Students were introduced to the Games mascot and got their pictures clicked with it.

As part of promotion activities for the Games, a quiz was also conducted consisting of multiple-choice questions such as the year the Royal Commonwealth Society was founded, combined population of Commonwealth nations, the Commonwealth nation with the largest population and the venue of the last Commonwealth Games.

Nearly 400 students had filled out the questionnaires. Students were also spotted enquiring about the volunteer programme for the Games only to be informed that the recruitment of volunteers was over.

The DSW office hosted the booth on Tuesday as well prior to which the Arts Faculty and Kirori Mal College also hosted the booth.

On each day of the booth being hosted, 300-400 questionnaires were filled.

One winner is chosen each day and is given Commonwealth Games merchandise such as posters, stickers and caps.

Zakir Husain College would be hosting the booth on Thursday and June 10.

The office of the Deputy Dean of Students' Welfare, South Campus, would host the booth on June 4 while the booth would be at Gargi College on July 5 and 11 and at the College of Vocational Studies on July 7 and 8.

The booth is functional from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Games work will be completed before deadline, says Sheila

Contractors urged to finish infrastructure works before monsoon arrival
Committees inspecting newly-installed streetlights found work below satisfaction
Heavy penalty to be imposed on companies that erred or delayed projects

Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on Wednesday reiterated that her government was well placed to complete all the infrastructure projects for the upcoming Commonwealth Games here well ahead of the deadline.

Talking to media persons, Ms. Dikshit said: “We will complete all the projects for the Games before the event gets under way on October 3. I will complete my responsibility before the event.''

The Chief Minister's statement assumes significance as doubts are being expressed in various quarters whether Delhi would be able to complete all the preparations before the event. With the rainy season due to start in about a month, the Government is also not taking any chances and is repeatedly urging the contractors to complete all the infrastructure works by June-end.

For the two-week event, the Delhi Government has budgeted an expenditure of nearly Rs.15,000 crore.

Ms. Dikshit also stated that the Delhi Government was yet to take a final decision on how to proceed with the probe against companies which have not performed the task of installing and maintaining the streetlights to the satisfaction of the Minister concerned.

Delhi Public Works Department Minister Rajkumar Chauhan had, following an inspection of the streetlights installed in South Delhi, warned that cases pertaining to three companies may be referred to the Central Vigilance Commissioner for alleged delay as well as for use of poor quality material.

The Minister had informed that two committees had also been formed for inspection of streetlights. During the inspection, Mr. Chauhan had found that some of the companies were not working properly and while streetlights had not been installed at some places, in others they were not functional. The Minister had then directed the Principal Secretary to impose heavy penalty on the erring companies for delay in work. He also issued directions to stop payment to these companies.

Delhi has undertaken an ambitious project of installation of streetlights of international standards along 424 km of roads at a cost of Rs.198 crore for the Games.

The Minister had informed that a total of 144 km roads were given to Bajaj company in M-1 zone and the work on 110 km roads is over. In the M-2 zone, which was given to Cashlek Shedder, work on 141 km out of a total of 144 km is over. And in the M-3 zone work on 125 km out of total 152 km of road had been completed by Spaceage company.

Mr. Chauhan had, during the inspection, reprimanded the superintendents of all the three companies and directed them to speedily complete the work. He had also lamented that faults were already being reported in some of the streetlights and stated that the quality of the material used by the companies would be checked.

With eye on Commonwealth Games, Admn to upgrade city’s public transport

Chandigarh Administration plans to set up pre-paid cabs and autorickshaw booths at important tourist places

As New Delhi gears up for the Commonwealth Games in October this year, Chandigarh, too, is doing its bit to host tourists. In order to avoid any inconvenience and discomfort to travellers, the Administration has planned to set up attractive pre-paid cab and autorickshaw booths at the Sukhna Lake, railway station, ISBT-17 and 43, and other tourist attractions of the city.

“We hope that Chandigarh would be on the list of the Commonwealth cities where a few games would be played. Even if this does not happen, it is certain that tourists would travel to places such as Shimla and other towns in Himachal. For this, they would halt in the city,” said State Transport Authority Secretary Vandana Disodia.

In this regard, pre-paid autorickshaw service tuk tuk and now yo-yo, the first-of-its-kind transport service in the country, has taken the city by storm.

“I have received numerous enquiries from operators in Jaipur, Mumbai, Indore, Bhopal and Lucknow who are interested to start this service in their respective cities. Tuk tuk has received such an overwhelming response not only from the city but also from those visiting from the other cities. We have seen cases where relatives of city residents coming from abroad have demanded to take a ride in tuk tuk at least once,” said Colonel V S Dhillon (Retired), Managing Director, Tricity Tours and Travels.

The Administration has set up pre-paid autorickshaw booths at the railway station and ISBT-17 but they are not popular among travellers owing to their location and proximity. These would be replaced by new booths and pre-paid taxi booths. The Chandigarh Administration also plans to install more tourist information kiosks in the city for the convenience of the holidaymakers.

Disodia said, “Tourist police, wearing a special uniform, will man various tourist spots in the city.”

Central Bank expects more visibility from C'wealth Games

The XIX Commonwealth Games to be held in Delhi in October this year has already generated a business of Rs 5,000 crore in the form of deposits for Central Bank of India, the official bankers of the games, according to Vijai Misra, its deputy general manager.

It is expecting to garner a substantial number of current account and savings account (CASA) deposits as all the funds received by the games organising committee by way of government funding, sponsorship amount, ticket sales, television and merchandising rights and lottery will be routed through the bank.

Misra, however, said Central Bank, by becoming an official banker, was more interested in gaining "visibility" than generation of additional business.

In an informal chat with mediapersons here on Wednesday, Misra said the bank had already opened a branch and was planning to open four more branches in Delhi to cater to the needs of the games. It proposes to undertake sale of tickets and was making arrangements to put in place e-payment gateway and IVR phone banking gateway to facilitate sale of tickets.

One of the top five bankers in the country, Central Bank is gearing up to celebrate its centenary year from December 21, 2010. In 2009-10, its total business stood at Rs 2,69,225 crore, registering a growth of 23.5 per cent over the previous year’s business of Rs 2,18,012 crore. It proposes to open 1,500 ATMs across the country in the current financial year.

Misra, who is the head of Hyderabad zone comprising the states of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, proposes to open two more branches in the city this year taking the total number of branches in the state to 145. The Hyderabad zone accounts for a business of Rs 12,762 crore.

Cycling: Crash puts Scully out of Commonwealth Games

Southland cyclist Tom Scully's Commonwealth Games dream is over after he crashed into a power pole at 65km/h during the Tour of Ireland.

Scully, 20, escaped any broken bones but was left lying in a Galway hospital bed with his badly swollen right leg in a brace, having undergone two separate surgeries for compartment syndrome to reduce the swelling in his knee.

X-rays and an MRI scan showed torn ACL and PCL ligaments in his right knee, and destroyed lateral ligaments and hamstring attachment point.

He had left his hospital bed just three times since the crash and could manage only 10 steps on crutches.

Doctors told Scully he would be back on his bike by the October Games in Delhi but to be fit to compete would be a "superhuman effort".

"So all that said the year is sadly over with Commonwealth Games out the window for 2010," he said in an email to Cycling Southland.

Scully, the national scratch champion, had an impressive first season of international competition, with two golds and a bronze medal at track World Cup events and a seventh placing at the world championships.

The crash happened on stage three of the Tour of Ireland when Scully was in the leading bunch with compatriot Marc Ryan.

As he mounted a sprint finish passing a narrow stone bridge, Scully hit handlebars with a rival about 300m from the finish.

"I lost control, shot off to the right, tried to keep it up and hold it straight, but lost it, both wheels were sliding sideways, carbon shattering everywhere," he wrote.

"I smashed my right femur into a power pole at about 60-65km/h. My body went left of pole and right leg knee down went to the right of the pole, bending my right knee the way it's not meant to bend, then I tumbled along the gutter."

Scully, who has one more bout of surgery scheduled before returning to New Zealand in a fortnight, was upbeat about his recovery programme which should see him back competing in the New Year.

"From here a lot of recovery/rehab is to be done. But I'm staying positive about it all. It's just a bit of a setback, slight change from full gas training... shouldn't be too much trouble."

2014 Commonwealth Games Athletes Village application goes in

The consortium tasked with delivering the Athletes Village in Glasgow for the 2014 Commonwealth Games, the City Legacy Consortium, has submitted a planning application for the scheme.

It has submitted two applications, a detailed application for the games phase and planning permission in principle for the legacy phase.

A City Legacy spokesman said: "We are committed to working with Glasgow City Council to realise the vision for a memorable 2014 Commonwealth Games and deliver a lasting regeneration legacy for Dalmarnock."

The games phase development will consist of 758 residential units, a 120-bed care home, an energy centre, associated infrastructure and landscaping at the site which is bounded by London Road, Springfield Road, Dalmarnock Road and the River Clyde.

The legacy masterplan phase includes 350 residential units, up to 20,000 sq ft of commercial floorspace, infrastructure and landscaping at Connal Street, Birkwood Street, Dalmarnock Road, and Springfield Road.

The applications follow several months of community consultation. City Legacy is made up of Anderson Strathern Solicitors, CCG Homes, Cruden Homes, Davis Langdon, Jones Lang LaSalle, Mactaggart & Mickel, Malcolm Construction, RMJM, Scottish & Southern Energy, Turley Associates and WSP.

Commonwealth Games is big event for sportspersons: Sushil Kumar

Olympic bronze medal winning wrestler Sushil Kumar today described the upcoming Commonwealth Games as a big event for sportspersons of the country.

''In Asian Games, wrestlers have performed well and upcoming Commonwealth Games is a big event for us and for our country,'' Kumar told reporters here at a press conference, Talking to UNI about the preparations for the 12-day international event, the wrestler said, ''Though the temperature is high nowadays but training in indoor stadia are helping the wrestlers a lot.'' In proper guidance of coaches and dietitians, training of the wrestlers for the upcoming multi-sport event is in full swing and they hope for a good performance at this big event, he said.

Speaking at the press conference organised by Heart Care Foundation of India that focused on the World Environment Day, to be observed on June 5, Kumar said,'' People can remain healthy only in a better climatic conditions.'' Stressing the harmful affects of cigarettes on the health of a sportsperson, Kumar said, ''Cigarette smoker can never become a wrestler.'' Talking about the Environmental issues, the wrestler said, ''When we visit foreign countries we find lot of stress is given on clean environment. This can be achieved if people of our country grow more trees and avoid throwing wastes on the roads.'' Speaking on the occasion, Padmashree and Dr BC Roy awardee and President of Heart Care Foundation of India Dr K K Aggarwal, said, ''Sports and clear environment are interlinked.'' ''At a time of pollution you can not play any game properly and for maintaining good health, I would suggest that common man should also do some of the basic exercises,'' he added.

Natasha in Oz CWG lawn bowls squad

Natasha van Eldik was today included in the Australian lawn bowls pairs squad for the Commonwealth Games to be held here in October. According to a statement by the Organising Committee of the Commonwealth Games, the 19-year-old will become the youngest lawn bowler to wear Australian colours in a Commonwealth Games competition. She will line up alongside reigning gold medallist, 26-year-old Lynsey Armitage. The pair won the silver medal at the eight-nation tournament at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium lawn bowls facility here in April. That convinced Australian coach Rex Johnston that Van Eldik was ready.

''I got the call at 6.45 this morning...they said we would get a call whether we had made the Commonwealth Games team or not so I didn't know what to expect,'' she was quoted as saying in the Australian media. ''It's a bit overwhelming really. In 12 months I have debuted for my country, played about 14 or 15 games for Australia and now I'm going to a Commonwealth Games. It's a dream come true,'' she added.

Twenty-year-old Kelsey Cottrell, a reserve four years ago, will make her debut in the women's singles, while Sharyn Renshaw (NSW), Claire Duke (NSW) and Julie Keegan (NSW) have been selected to play in the triples.

In the men's disciplines, world number two Leif Selby has secured the coveted singles role while Mark Berghofer and Aron Sherriff will play in the pairs and Brett Wilkie will partner defending Games champions Wayne Turley (NSW) and Mark Casey (QLD) in the triples.

Australia topped the medal count in Melbourne four years ago with three gold, one silver and one bronze. National coach Rex Johnston believes it is possible to replicate that performance in Delhi.

''We're extremely happy with the final 12 that has been selected,'' he said, preparing for his sixth successive Commonwealth Games campaign as a player or a coach.

''We have a strong mix of youth and experience, with the likes of Armitage, Turley and Casey being given the chance to defend their respective gold medals from Melbourne, while we've also invested our faith in the likes of Cottrell and Selby who have proven to be world class players over the past couple of years,'' he added.

The team: Men: Singles: Leif Selby; Pairs: Mark Berghofer and Aron Sherriff; Triples: Brett Wilkie, Wayne Turley and Mark Casey. Women: Singles: Kelsey Cottrell: Pairs: Lynsey Armitage and Natasha Van Eldik; Triples: Sharyn Renshaw, Claire Duke and Julie Keegan.

Zephanie Curgenven excited by Commonwealth Games

Guernsey's top squash player, Zephanie Curgenven, says she is very optimistic ahead of October's Commonwealth Games.

The 25-year-old is one of a five-strong squash team who will represent Guernsey at the Games in Delhi.

Curgenven told BBC Guernsey: "It'll be a brilliant experience and, as a team, we're all looking forward to it.

"A place on the podium would be amazing but with my ranking as it stands it might be difficult, although you never know."

She added: "You could get a good draw, and that's what I'm hoping for, so fingers crossed, but I can't say for definite."

The world number 128 will be joined in the women's draw in Delhi by Natalie Dodd and Issey Norman-Ross, while Henry Birch and Chris Simpson will represent Guernsey in the men's draw.

Curgenven, who has recently turned pro, won the Guernsey open squash championship last weekend.

Commonweatlh Games Credentials in Spotlight

With barely four months left before the 2010 Commonwealth Games gets under way in Delhi, India, in October, the Namibia National Olympic Committee (NNOC) has held several meetings where they engaged national federations/associations in discussions over the qualification of athletes for the global showpiece.

Criteria to that effect had been issued about a year ago. The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) stands by its criteria and did not at any stage or moment adjust the criteria.

The NNOC has thus requested all the affected federations/associations to revisit the criteria and ensure that the athletes meet the set standards, times and positions in continental ranking (which should be first or second placing).

"We have extended the final qualification deadline to 31st August with the same criteria. We have received a number of names of athletes, whom the national federations or associations believed had met the set criteria.

"The CGF has carefully studied, reviewed and validated some of the supporting information and documents submitted with the athletes names," said NNOC executive member, Ndeulipula Hamutumwa, during a press conference in the capital yesterday.

The following athletes have achieved qualification standards but still have to show their fitness for the current season:

    * Beata Naigambo

    * Helalia Johannes

    * Reinhold Iita

    * Roger Haitengi has achieved the qualifying standard once and is required to meet the qualifying standard for the second time as per criteria.

Archery:

Ben van Wyk has achieved the qualification standard.

Boxing:

The qualification status of the boxers will be determined by AIBA and ABC Ranking for Africa, on which they need to be ranked champion, 1st or 2nd place.

Cycling:As per information obtained from the cycling federation, no Namibian cyclist currently ranks amongst the first two places in terms of the African Tour ranking.

Gymnastics:

The following athletes have qualified: Kimberly-Anne van Zyl and Robert Honnibal.

Bowls:

Both the Men and Women's Fours qualified for the Games and ten athletes will represent Namibia at the Games.

Shooting:

At this stage no athlete has qualified.

Swimming:

No swimmer has achieved the qualification criteria of 850 FINA points.

Wrestling:

At this stage, no athlete wrestler has met the qualifying standards. .

Rugby:
The Namibian Sevens rugby team is currently ranked 4th on the African continent and is unlikely to qualify as only the first best two ranked nations are allowed to enter.

Para Olympics:

The following athletes have achieved the qualification standard:

Johanna Benson Ruben Soroseb Reginald Benade

The CGF will support all those athletes who have qualified according to the above verification by CGF, with their preparations for the Games. Those federations or associations and athletes who are still seeking qualification are encouraged to keep on trying.

Despite the limited resources at its disposal, the CGF has committed itself to support athletes who have qualified and those on the verge of qualification.

Apart from the set criteria, NNOC has requested all is affiliates to submit their good standing certificates/invoices/receipts and or proof of membership for the period of January - December 2010, with the NNOC.

The deadline for the submission for the above must reach the NNOC offices by not later than 30th June 2010. Affiliates who fail to make their submission deadline day would be automatically exempted from consideration to participate in the prestigious Olympic Games.

Cricket should not be part of Asian Games, says Gill

Sports Minister M.S. Gill Wednesday refrained from taking a stance on the decision of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) not to send the teams to the November Asian Games, but was of the view that cricket should not be part of the multi-discipline event.

“What programme the BCCI is going to play is their business to decide and they are deciding it,” Gill said. “As an individual, I am not sure cricket should be in the Asian Games.”

Gill said the BCCI’s hectic calendar does not leave players with much rest.

“There are so many tournaments that the boys are simply too tired. Even race horses should be rested,” he said.

The BCCI said Tuesday it would not field the men’s and women’s teams at the Nov 12-27 Asian Games due to prior commitments. The men’s team is due to host New Zealand in November.

Cricket was included in the Asian Games by the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) only after the four Asian Test nations — India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh — promised to send their best teams to the Games.

India sees Delhi 2010 as chance to emerge as significant sporting nation

The Government of India sees the XIX Commonwealth Games 2010 Delhi as an excellent opportunity to herald the country’s emergence as a significant sporting nation and showcase its organisational capacity to host such major events

In its report to the nation presented by Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh on Tuesday, Government said apart from highlighting the important role of sports, promoting closer ties between the people of the Commonwealth countries and promoting tourism, this Commonwealth Games will provide the nation with state-of-art, international standard sports infrastructure.

The report said Government had approved a budget of nearly Rs. 11,494 crore for the successful conduct of the Games through various ministries. (Of this, the budget for the Organising Committee Commonwealth Games 2010 Delhi to conduct the Games is Rs 1620 crore). The Commonwealth Games will also result in the upgradation of city infrastructure on an unprecedented scale, it said.

The new terminal at the Indira Gandhi International Airport will be fully operational soon, well in time for the Commonwealth Games. It has been designed to cater to 100 million passengers per annum by 2036, the report said.

Australia names teenager in Delhi 2010 lawn bowls squad

Natasha van Eldik was on Wednesday named to represent Australia at the Commonwealth Games lawn bowls pairs competition in Delhi in October. At 19, she will become the youngest lawn bowler to wear Australian colours in a Commonwealth Games competition.

She lines up alongside reigning gold medallist, 26-year-old Lynsey Armitage. The pair won the silver medal at the eight-nation tournament at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium lawn bowls facility here in April. That convinced Australian coach Rex Johnston that Van Eldik was ready.

“I got the call at 6.45 this morning...they said we would get a call whether we had made the Commonwealth Games team or not so I didn't know what to expect,” she was quoted as saying in the Australian media. “It's a bit overwhelming really. In 12 months I have debuted for my country, played about 14 or 15 games for Australia and now I'm going to a Commonwealth Games. It's a dream come true.”

The 20-year-old Kelsey Cottrell, a reserve four years ago, will make her debut in the women's singles, while Sharyn Renshaw (NSW), Claire Duke (NSW) and Julie Keegan (NSW) have been selected to play in the triples.

In the men's disciplines, world No.2 Leif Selby has secured the coveted singles role while Mark Berghofer and Aron Sherriff will play in the pairs and Brett Wilkie will partner defending Games champions Wayne Turley (NSW) and Mark Casey (QLD) in the triples.

Australia topped the medal count in Melbourne four years ago with three gold, one silver and one bronze. National coach Rex Johnston believes it is possible to replicate that performance in Delhi. “We're extremely happy with the final 12 that has been selected,” he said, preparing for his sixth successive Commonwealth Games campaign as a player or a coach.

“We have a strong mix of youth and experience, with the likes of Armitage, Turley and Casey being given the chance to defend their respective gold medals from Melbourne, while we've also invested our faith in the likes of Cottrell and Selby who have proven to be world class players over the past couple of years.”

The team:

Men: Singles: Leif Selby; Pairs: Mark Berghofer and Aron Sherriff; Triples: Brett Wilkie, Wayne Turley and Mark Casey.

Women: Singles: Kelsey Cottrell: Pairs: Lynsey Armitage and Natasha Van Eldik; Triples: Sharyn Renshaw, Claire Duke and Julie Keegan.