Dehli track damaged in Opening Ceremony

Commonwealth Games 2010: Jonathan Edwards astounded by state of running track
By Jacquelin Magnay
UK Telegraph
05 Oct 2010

The outlook for the Commonwealth Games appears ever more gloomy due to the poor state of the showpiece running track.The track and field programme starts on Wednesday, but on Tuesday workers were frantically trying to repair holes in the inside lane created during the opening ceremony.

Britain’s former triple jumper, Jonathan Edwards, said that the state of the track was ''beyond anything I imagined".

Dazzling Delhi games open “The straight for the 100 metres is fine, but they are re-laying a bit of the track which was damaged during the opening ceremony,” Edwards said.

“And they’ve had to do that a couple of times because the standard to which it’s been repaired hasn’t been up to scratch. Obviously, concerns about the athletes’ safety are foremost.

“Normally, you would lay a track and perhaps leave it for two or three days to settle and to harden so this is probably unparalleled.”

After two days of competition, the reality of this Commonwealth Games is one of empty stadiums.

Swimmers have been performing in front of team-mates and relations at the 5,000-capacity Mukherjee swimming stadium, while the shouts of the hockey players echo around the near-empty 16,000-seat national stadium.

http://www.morethanthegames.co.uk/athletics/0512685-commonwealth-games-frantic-repairs-athletics-track-after-ceremony-damage

COMMONWEALTH GAMES: Frantic repairs to athletics track after ceremony damage
From James Toney, Sportsbeat, in Delhi
moreethanthe games.com
Tuesday 5th October 2010

COMMONWEALTH Games officials are battling to get the track and infield repaired at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium after it was damaged during Sunday's opening ceremony.

Despite three layers of protective covering, designed to take 10,000 tonnes of weight, the impact of more than 7,000 performers and tonnes of heavy equipment has taken its toll.

Athletics competitions are scheduled to start tomorrow but work on the damaged turf has not yet started because contractors have yet to receive security clearance.

"We are talking to the Delhi Police to secure more access passes so that the work can be completed in time," said an organising committee official.

"It is the key stadium and therefore we are very, very worried."

Meanwhile, embattled organising committee chief Suresh Kalmadi is set to break his silence today.

Problems with the build-up meant the organising committee and Commonwealth Games Federation revised their planned schedule of media appearances - failing to hold their traditional eve of Games press briefing.

However, Kalmadi and CGF president Michael Fennell will hold a joint news conference in Delhi today, which could be a lively affair.

The organising committee chairman was roundly booed during the opening ceremony and is expected to be questioned on the poor attendances for yesterday's first day of competition.

There were chaotic scenes at the gymnastics venues on Monday when spectators looking for tickets were told they had all been sold - despite just 300 fans inside the 3,000 capacity venue.

The problem was later blamed on a computer error.

Heard on the radio, the athletics might be delayed a few days while they get the track repaired.