Matt looks for fast start to games year

MATT Davies sprinted his way to the World Athletics Championships last year.

Tomorrow he can sprint his name into the record books should he overcome a powerful field and clinch back-to-back Gold Coast Gifts.

A member of the Australian 4x100m relay squad at the Berlin world championships, Davies was granted a wildcard into tomorrow's event and his battle with fellow Commonwealth Games hopeful Aaron Stubbs promises to be a mouth-watering affair.

Davies finished third in last year's Stawell Gift, behind champion Stubbs, but that will count for little when they step back out on to the grass today.

"It's a harder ask this year but I'll be there giving it a crack," said Davies.

Along with the World Championships and his strong effort at Stawell, Davies ran strongly for the Aussies at the Great North City Games, a challenge against great rivals England.

He took third in the 60m street race, a feat he matched in the 150m event at the same meet.

While emulating his 2009 season is going to be tough, should Davies earn a place at the Commonwealth Games in his pet 100m and 200m events it would be one of his greatest honours, he said yesterday.

"I had a ripper year last year, it's hard to match but since I got back from world champs we have addressed a few things," said Davies.

"I feel like I've got a bit more speed and I feel like I have a few more metres in me.

"Obviously I want to back it up and make the relay team again, but if I can make a berth in both the 100m and 200m that would be awesome.

"The Commonwealth Games is always a pretty special thing for Australians and there are a lot of young guys coming through so it's going to be pretty competitive to get back in the team."

While Davies and Stubbs will start favourites, a number of other runners should not be forgotten.

Bundaberg's Michael Gordon, third in the Coomera New Years Eve Gift, should feature in the final along with 2008 victor, Canberra's John Jakeman and Shane Ezard.

In the women's field, Brisbane's leading hurdler Virginia Trad and promising Rockhampton runner Sarah Busby head the field.

Ashmore's Nicole Dart, and beach sprinters Teniele Richards, Emma Rynne, Michele Shields and veteran Cate Donaldson head the Gold Coast contingent.

Kalmadi: I've no time for HI job

IOA chief Suresh Kalmadi said that he simply doesn't have the time or interest for the Hockey India job.

Rubbishing former captain Pargat Singh's allegation that he is hell bent on becoming the Hockey India president, Kalmadi on Sunday said he is so pre-occupied with this year's Commonwealth Games that he simply doesn't have the time or interest for the job.

Pargat pans 'sports mafia' Kalmadi

"I am the President of the Indian Olympic Association and Chairman of the Organising Committee of the Commonwealth Games, which keeps me fully occupied. I have no time or interest in taking over hockey," Kalmadi said in a statement.

Earlier in the day, Pargat lashed out at Kalmadi, calling him a "Sports Mafia" and claiming his men had tried to negotiate an under-table deal with Hockey Punjab, of which Pargat is the secretary, to grant them affiliation provided they supported Kalmadi for the HI top job.

Kalmadi dismissed the claim and said, "I have a national duty to perform -- to ensure that the Commonwealth Games are conducted successfully.

"I'm also responsible for the smooth conduct of the upcoming Hockey World Cup being staged by IOA and FIH of which I'm the joint chairperson of the Governing Board," Kalmadi added.

Rubbishing allegations of dilly-dallying with Punjab's affiliation, Kalmadi said, "I understand that Hockey Punjab was given affiliation within one day after submission of all their documents.

Centre preparing security of four major sports events in 2010

The Centre is gearing up all its men and machines to provide foolproof security to four major sporting events to be held in India this
year amid reports that terrorist groups are sharpening their claws to strike the country.

The national capital will be hosting three major international events, including the Commonwealth Games, while Indian Premier League will spread across different parts of the country.

"It will be a big challenge for us to make the events incident-free. We are leaving no stone unturned and preparing in advance," a Home Ministry official said.

The Hockey World Cup will see participation by 10 countries and around 400 players and delegates. It will be held here between February 28 and March 13.

The Commonwealth Shooting Championship will be held between February 17 and 28 in which 1,000 athletes and officials from 30 countries will try their luck.

"There have been questions from the participating nations regarding security and we allayed all their fears and assured that that there will be no compromise on the security of the guests," the official said.

The security establishment is particularly concerned over the IPL cricket matches, to be held between March 13 and April 25, and Commonwealth Games - to be held between October 3 and 14.

The IPL matches are huge congregation of international cricket stars, Bollywood personalities, huge crowd, media and spectators making them sitting duck for the terrorists.

The case is similar for the Commonwealth Games where 9,000 athletes from 71 countries besides 100,000 international spectators will pour in the national capital from different parts of the country.

Though Home Secretary G K Pillai had said that there was no specific threat to the Games, he assured the participating nations that the Indian security establishment was fully capable to provide all types of safety.

A three-tier security ring will be thrown across each of the 13 competition venues for the Commonwealth Games and special attention was being given to prevent "Lahore-type" attacks on the athletes who will be taken from the Games Village to the venues in dedicated lanes with helicopters providing air surveillance.

In Pakistan, militants attacked Sri Lankan cricketers at Lahore during their tour of the country on March 3, 2009.

To ensure fleet security, each of the 574 vehicles used for ferrying athletes across the city, will have to undergo a mandatory anti-sabotage clearance every morning before athletes board it.

According to the latest intelligence report, Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba has acquired more than 50 para-gliding equipment from Europe, setting off alarm bells in the government that these could be used to carry out air-borne suicide attacks in the country.

"We hope that the events will pass off peacefully," the official added.

‘They stole my design’

As if it wasn’t enough that for the fourth year in a row, the Republic Day event’s host, Delhi, does not have a tableau in tomorrow’s parade, the city’s other pride — Commonwealth Games — has also got into a tableaux controversy. A Delhi based Tableaux designer Pralay Kumar Mukherjee has alleged that the Commonwealth Games (CWG) jhanki, set to be on Rajpath tomorrow, is a copy of his design. “I had submitted three models while pitching for the CWG tableau. They have now used a mixture of those designs on their own and turned it into a tableau costing Rs 1 crore,” says Mukherjee who has now approached the high court.

Lalit Bhanot, Games organising committee secretary-general, denied, “It is wrong to say that any designs were copied. Mukhejee submitted the designs but they were not selected by the defence ministry, which approves the tableaux designs. Also, the tableau cost is nowhere near one crore.”

With the Delhi tableau missing altogether and now CWG tableau marred by controversies, the issue is not going down well with Delhiites, eagerly awaiting the Republic Day parade.

Aniniditi Sharma, a student of Vivekananda Institute of Professional Studies says, “It is sad that the Capital does not have its own jhanki at the Republic Day parade this year again. Delhi needs to buck up.”

Tarun Gupta, an IT Professional says, “First Delhi goes missing, and now the Commonwealth Games jhanki turns out to be a copycat... why are we hell bent on insulting our pride?’

Hundreds go to Delhi on public purse

A delegation of 500 people, including dozens of public officials, is to be sent to India at taxpayers’ expense for the closing ceremony of this year’s Commonwealth Games.

The lord and lady provost of Glasgow will be joined by council officials and representatives from VisitScotland, SportScotland, Strathclyde police and Strathclyde Fire and Rescue. Edinburgh and North Lanarkshire councils and the British Council are also planning to send representatives.

Glasgow 2014, the body organising the games in four year’s time, plans to fly 400 performers to Delhi to take part in an eight-minute “cultural showcase” at the end of the ceremony. The event will end with Steven Purcell, leader of Glasgow city council, receiving the Commonwealth flag.

Glasgow 2014 admitted last week that it has yet to calculate the cost of the trip. Opposition politicians said public-sector involvement in preparations for the games was excessive.

“Given concerns already raised about cost overruns in the Commonwealth Games project, I would hope we are in rigorous control of expenditure and these trips are absolutely essential,” said Murdo Fraser, deputy leader of the Scottish Conservatives.

Bill Aitken, the Conservative MSP for Glasgow, said: “I find it deeply disturbing that Glasgow 2014 did not prepare a budget before agreeing to send such a large number of people, which in itself seems to be excessive.”

The cost to Scotland of staging the Commonwealth Games rose last year from £373m to £454m because of an increase in broadcasting and staffing costs.

Glasgow 2014 has hired Unspun, a London-based consultancy firm, to create the show by amateur performers.

Organisers intend to hire a secret venue in Scotland to stage three weeks of dress rehearsals before flying the performers to Delhi, where they will stay for about three days.

A nationwide campaign will be launched next month to find volunteers to take part in the show following consultation with Creative Scotland and a number of arts bodies. Volunteers will be asked to contribute to the cost of the trip by fundraising and sponsorship.

Glasgow 2014 has defended the handover plans, arguing that the city would be brought to the world’s attention. “The flag handover ceremony at the end of the closing ceremony in Delhi is an important moment as it marks the start of the four-year cycle to our Games,” said a spokesman.

A spokesman for VisitScotland said: “The three members of staff are the same staff who would have been going to India for a trade mission and it makes absolute sense to dovetail our activity.”

Fiona Taylor, assistant chief constable of Strathclyde police, said: “Officers from Strathclyde will be taking part in the observer programme at the Delhi 2010 games. They will have behind the scenes access to their security operation and will bring that valuable learning back.”

Strathclyde Fire and Rescue said it would send at least one person to Delhi to examine issues that might affect the games in Glasgow.

A Scottish government spokesman said it had yet to decide whether ministers or officials would attend.

For $60, avail Visa-on-Arrival scheme

With the aim of attracting more tourists during the Commonwealth Games, government has decided to charge a fee of $ 60 per person for the grant of Visa-on-Arrival scheme.

The scheme has been extended to five countries, Finland, Japan, Luxembourg, New Zealand and Singapore, on a pilot basis for a year beginning January.

"Though we have sought more countries to be included in the scheme, these five countries are being granted the Visa-on-Arrival facility as a pilot project. Depending upon the response, more countries are likely to be included later on," a senior official of the Tourism Ministry said.

While 92,908 Singaporeans visited India in 2007, the number increased to 1,00,351 in 2008. From New Zealand 30,266 tourists came in 2008 against 27,498 in 2007.

Arrivals from Japan also registered a growth in the last two years. India received 1,50,732 Japanese tourists in 2008 against 1,45,538 in the previous year.

However, the arrival from Finland saw a decline in 2008. While 34,364 visited the country in 2007, the number decreased to 30,889 in 2008. "We expect a good response during the Commonwealth Games here in October as a large number of visitors are expected to come from these countries, specifically from Singapore and New Zealand, which are Commonwealth countries," the official said.

Tourists from these countries can avail the scheme for a maximum of 30 days with single entry facility by the Immigration Office at Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata airports, as per the Visa-on-Arrival guidelines finalised by the government.

Tourists shall be allowed entry for a maximum of two times in a calendar year with a minimum gap of two months between each visit under the scheme.

The Tourism Ministry has launched the Visit India Year 2009 scheme in overseas markets with effect from April 2009 till March 2010 whereby attractive incentives are being offered by airlines, hotels, and tour operators to tourists.

The year 2009 was not good for the sector as arrival was affected due to several reasons including the Mumbai terror attack, swine flu and travel advisories issued by many countries during this period.

We have undertaken a series of promotional overseas campaign specially in the Commonwealth countries and we are hopeful that foreign tourist arrivals will gain momentum in the coming months and also during the Games in Delhi, the official added.

Centre preparing security of four major sports events in 2010

The Centre is gearing up all its men and machines to provide foolproof security to four major sporting events to be held in India this

year amid reports that terrorist groups are sharpening their claws to strike the country.

The national capital will be hosting three major international events, including the Commonwealth Games, while Indian Premier League will spread across different parts of the country.

"It will be a big challenge for us to make the events incident-free. We are leaving no stone unturned and preparing in advance," a Home Ministry official said.

The Hockey World Cup will see participation by 10 countries and around 400 players and delegates. It will be held here between February 28 and March 13.

The Commonwealth Shooting Championship will be held between February 17 and 28 in which 1,000 athletes and officials from 30 countries will try their luck.

"There have been questions from the participating nations regarding security and we allayed all their fears and assured that that there will be no compromise on the security of the guests," the official said.

The security establishment is particularly concerned over the IPL cricket matches, to be held between March 13 and April 25, and Commonwealth Games - to be held between October 3 and 14.

The IPL matches are huge congregation of international cricket stars, Bollywood personalities, huge crowd, media and spectators making them sitting duck for the terrorists.

The case is similar for the Commonwealth Games where 9,000 athletes from 71 countries besides 100,000 international spectators will pour in the national capital from different parts of the country.

Though Home Secretary G K Pillai had said that there was no specific threat to the Games, he assured the participating nations that the Indian security establishment was fully capable to provide all types of safety.

A three-tier security ring will be thrown across each of the 13 competition venues for the Commonwealth Games and special attention was being given to prevent "Lahore-type" attacks on the athletes who will be taken from the Games Village to the venues in dedicated lanes with helicopters providing air surveillance.

In Pakistan, militants attacked Sri Lankan cricketers at Lahore during their tour of the country on March 3, 2009.

To ensure fleet security, each of the 574 vehicles used for ferrying athletes across the city, will have to undergo a mandatory anti-sabotage clearance every morning before athletes board it.

According to the latest intelligence report, Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba has acquired more than 50 para-gliding equipment from Europe, setting off alarm bells in the government that these could be used to carry out air-borne suicide attacks in the country.

"We hope that the events will pass off peacefully," the official added.