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‘No security guarantee for Games athletes’

Australia's Commonwealth Games chief said on Thursday he cannot guarantee the safety of his country's athletes at next year's games in New Delhi, and will let them decide whether they want to compete.

Updated on: Oct 01, 2009 11:21 PM IST
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Australia's Commonwealth Games chief said on Thursday he cannot guarantee the safety of his country's athletes at next year's games in New Delhi, and will let them decide whether they want to compete.

HT Image
HT Image

Following last November's terror attacks in Mumbai that left 172 dead and more than 300 injured, organisers have put in place extra resources to secure the October 3-14 Games.

Yet the event is being clouded by a perception abroad that India is unsafe.

Australia pulled out of a Davis Cup tennis tie in the southern city of Chennai in May while England withdrew from the world badminton championships in Hyderabad in August, despite no specific terror threats against either event.

Australia and England are expected to be the main draws at next year's Games in the Indian capital.

The Australian Commonwealth Games Association (ACGA) has met with representatives from each of the 18 competing sports, and none have yet said they plan to skip New Delhi, association chief Perry Crosswhite said.

"We have said to all the sports that the decision on whether athletes go or not is their decision," Crosswhite said.

 
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