Everything in Delhi CWG would be first class: Fennell

The pace of preparations for this year's Commonwealth Games had him worried till a few days ago but CGF chief Mike Fennell has had a change of heart now and says everything in the Delhi event would be "first class".

"India has spared no resources for the Games and everything will be first class," Fennell said at a reception organised by the Indian community in Montego Bay in honour of the Queens Baton Relay.

The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) has been at loggerheads with the event's Organising Committee in India over the tardy pace of preparations and Fennell has been quite vocal about his displeasure in the past.

But the CGF chief said he is happy with the pace of work now and is looking forward to the October 3 to 14 event in the Indian capital.

"Things are in great shape. We had hoped all the venues would be ready ahead of time so we could test them, but they will be completed ahead of the start of the Games," he said.

The Commonwealth Games is the biggest multi-sport mega event to be organised in India since the 1982 Asian Games, incidentally also held in Delhi.

The build-up to the 12-day extravaganza has, however, been marred by construction delays and security concerns of the visiting athletes.

But Fennell said the Indian government was "taking every precaution, Games or no Games to ensure the safety of their citizens."

Distorted map puts Games Federations on the mat

The Commonwealth Games Federation on Tuesday found itself in the eye of a storm for putting up a distorted map of India on its website.

The blunder came to light on the Republic Day, forcing the embarrassed officials of the federation to correct the map and apologise to the nation.

“It was a mistake and we apologise for it,” CEO Mike Hooper said.

The Indian map on http://www.thecgf.com showed some areas of Jammu and Kashmir and Gujarat as parts of Pakistan. The corrected version, uploaded within hours of a media storm, shows these areas as Indian territories.

Once the mistake came to light, the organisers of the 2010 Commonwealth Games claimed they had brought it to the CGF’s notice. “We have noticed it and told CGF officials about it. They have promised to get back to us,” Organising Committee secretary Lalit Bhanot said.

The run-up to the Games, which will be held here from October 3 to 14, has already seen a series of controversies, with the federation and the Organising Committee constantly at loggerheads over the pace of preparations.

Distorted Indian map posted on CWG website

The 2010 Commonwealth Games ran into further controversy today as the CGF mistakenly displayed a distorted map of India on its official website.

The map displayed parts of Jammu and Kashmir and Gujarat as parts of Pakistan, drawing severe criticism and protests from several quarters.

The uproar forced the embarrassed Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) officials to correct the map and apologise to the nation for the mistake.

CGF CEO Mike Hooper, left red-faced by the gaffe, appolised for the error and clarified that the map has been corrected.

''It was a mistake and we offer our sincere apologies for it,'' Hooper told reporters.

''It was a mistake and we took immediate steps to correct it as soon as it came to our notice,'' he added.

The Commonwealth Games Organising Committee claimed they were the first to notice the mistake and brought it to the CGF's attention.

''We have noticed it and told CGF officials about it. They have promised to revert to us on the issue,'' Organising Committee secretary Lalit Bhanot said.

''The CGF has informed us that it was done by mistake and they have rectified the error,'' he added.

Kookaburras unperturbed by security threats in India

Even as the security concerns in the Indian Capital have become a raging issue, Australian men's hockey captain Jamie Dwyer claims the Kookaburras will travel New Delhi for both the World Cup and the Commonwealth Games this year.

The hockey team's visit to New Delhi for the next month's World Cup will also come at a time when relations between India and Australia have taken a wrong turn following the attacks on Indians Down Under. The Hockey World Cup will also serve as a test of security arrangements for the Commonwealth Games which are also to be staged in the Capital in October.

There have been reports that the World Cup and Commonwealth Games could see a possible attacks by the terrorists but Dwyer said the team was comfortable with the security arrangements and had been briefed by a member of the coaching panel who visited India recently.

''We just like to be informed. We want to know everything like where we're staying and about the venue, but we want to go,'' Dwyer told AAP.

The World Cup will be staged at the Dhyan Chand National Stadium, the same venue to be used for the Commonwealth Games hockey tournament.

Dwyer said he had enjoyed playing in India previously, and was looking forward to the March 2 World Cup pool match against the host nation.

''India is a massive hockey nation and the crowds are very vocal. Our second game's against them and it's going to be massive.

''Wherever India play there's a great atmosphere and it's going to be great,' he added.