Kalmadi still has Olympic dreams

Despite overseeing one of the most chaotic Commonwealth Games ever, organising committee supremo Suresh Kalmadi continues to dream about hosting the Olympics. See special

Despite overseeing one of the most chaotic Commonwealth Games ever, organising committee supremo Suresh Kalmadi continues to dream about hosting the Olympics.

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The New Delhi Games have been plagued by problems from empty stadiums to over-zealous security to technology issues.

But the under-fire Kalmadi still holds out hopes of hosting an Olympics.

"I have a dream of bringing the Olympics, but when, I don't know," Kalmadi, who is also the Indian Olympic Committee president and a member of the Congress party, said on Tuesday.

"I need to speak to the government about it after the Commonwealth Games."

Ahead of the Commonwealth Games, India suggested it was considering a bid for the 2020 Olympics, with the IOC General Assembly due to vote on the host city in 2013.

They were bouyed by International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge attending the opening ceremony and pronouncing that the foundation stones had now been laid for an Olympic bid.

Kalmadi said that in such a cricket-crazy country, the Commonwealth Games would leave a broader sporting legacy.

"One of the main things of having a big event like the Commonwealth Games is to ensure that we create a lot of new icons and these icons will lead the the youth of India towards the global sports."

India has had its most successful Commonwealth Games ever and is currently second in the medals table behind Australia.