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Top athletes pull out of Commonwealth Games
Phillips Idowu and Dani Samuels cite concerns over security and 'uninhabitable living conditions'
The Delhi Commonwealth Games, due to start in a fortnight, have descended further into chaos after two top athletes announced their withdrawal, while others have postponed travelling to the event.
The Games had already suffered a blow to its credibility earlier this year, when cyclists Victoria Pendleton and Chris Hoy pulled out due to the competition's clash with the sport's European Championships.
Since then, things have gone from bad to worse as news of uninhabitable accommodation, gun attacks, dengue fever outbreaks and a collapsing footbridge in the main Games arena have come to light.
"Sorry people, but I have children to think about. My safety is more important to them than a medal," said world triple jump champion, Phillips Idowu on his Twitter feed.
When pressed by a follower, he went into more detail: "All the press about bridges collapsing and 23+ people being hurt, floods and uninhabitable living conditions, getting my daughter ready for school this morning and seeing all of that put me off. I can't afford to risk my safety in the slightest."
Also pulling out is the Australian discus world champion Dani Samuels, who made her decision after two tourists were wounded by gunmen at the weekend.
"The situation has been bothering her for some time and the events of the weekend made it real," said her manager, Hayden Knowles.
More athletes could follow Idowu and Samuels as the New Zealand PM announced that he would support any competitor who chose not to go.
Yesterday, it was reported that Scottish officials deemed the athletes' accommodation for the games "unsafe and unfit for human habitation".
The delegates, who went to visit the tower blocks where athletes will be staying, described them as filthy, with rubble lying in doorways, dogs inside the buildings, toilets not working and excrement "in places it shouldn't be".
Despite organising committee secretary-general Lalit Bhanot insisting that the situation "is under control", officials of the various teams competing are understood to be concerned.
Bhanot protested that the concerns about cleanliness were down to "cultural differences".
"Everyone has different standards about cleanliness. The Westerners have different standards, we have different standards," he said.
New Zealand chef de mission Dave Currie thinks differently and even suggested that the Games might have to be cancelled. ·
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Why am I not surprised by all this? There are a lot of Indians around the world proud as peacocks about their 'rising' country and its economy, but the plain fact is that India is still very much a third world country with a lower than many third world standard of hygiene and cleanliness. I like the bit about cultural differences and standards of cleanliness! The athletes are quite right to have second thoughts about participating and to act upon them.