Kalmadi sets sights on Olympics

Commonwealth Games Organising Committee Chairman Suresh Kalmadi on Thursday said the Olympics were next on his agenda.

Commonwealth Games Organising Committee Chairman Suresh Kalmadi on Thursday said the Olympics were next on his agenda.

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With two days to go for arguably the most-controversial sporting event India has ever hosted, Kalmadi also appealed that corruption charges against him should be probed after the Games.

“I am ready for an inquiry. It must be conducted, but I am looking after the Games. My budget is R 1,600 crore and not R36,000 crore as people think,"

Instead of deterring the country from bidding for bigger sporting events in future, the Games, notwithstanding all criticism, would actually act as a catalyst, he said.

“The biggest legacy (of CWG) is Olympics. This is our opportunity and CWG will help,” said Kalmadi, who is also the president of the Indian Olympics Association.

Taking a dig at the Delhi Development Authority and Emaar MGF, the landowners and the builders, he said they are the ones responsible for the shoddy work at Games Village.

“Due to a conflict (between DDA and Emaar), work was delayed for three months and that was the main problem. We got the Village only a month ago and we needed some time to set things in place, he said, adding that things were in place now.

Kalmadi said the athletes chose the Games Village over five-star hotels. “I had asked all the teams to see the Village first and then decide if they wanted to stay at hotels. No one opted for hotels.”

There is no a doubt that the Games would be a success, he said.