The quality of food provided to athletes during the ongoing Commonwealth Games at Glasgow has been criticised by Raj Singh, chef de mission of the 215-member strong Team India, who feel the fare was better at the 2012 Olympic Games in London.
Singh has been quoted by The Times as saying on Saturday that the Indian contingent, many of whom were vegetarians, were “coping” with a Glaswegian diet of pizza and McDonald’s. Other facilities, according to him, were also “below par”.
“There are very few choices for vegetarian, there are pizzas and McDonald’s, but that is not good for athletes. The food at the Olympic Games with an Asian food court was way better and if you remember we had 200 to 250 kinds of food items in Delhi for the last Commonwealth Games,” Singh told the newspaper.
Recalling criticism levelled at organisers of the Commonwealth Games in Delhi, Singh said: “We were at the receiving end when we hosted the Games. But what we are getting at the athletes’ village in Glasgow is much below what India had given in 2010. At the Games village here the bathrooms are not attached to each room and the athletes will have to share bathrooms. In Delhi, we provided attached bathrooms with each apartment”.
He added: “The gym has not many work stations and [not] enough equipment for several athletes to work out simultaneously. It is not much of a problem and we are managing, but it cannot be compared to what was offered in Delhi.”
He added: “The gym has not many work stations and [not] enough equipment for several athletes to work out simultaneously. It is not much of a problem and we are managing, but it cannot be compared to what was offered in Delhi.”
However, Mike Hooper, chief executive of the Commonwealth Games Federation, dismissed the criticism and told the newspaper: “We are very pleased with Glasgow — they have done a fantastic job at accommodating all the teams. I certainly have not received any complaints.”