CGF delegates happy with CWG facilities: Lalit Bhanot

New Delhi: Commonwealth Games Organising Committee secretary general Lalit Bhanot today said that all

the visiting CGF delegates are satisfied with the facilities and exuded confidence that all infrastructure related to next year`s mega-event will be completed before the deadline. Delegates from all the 71 member nations of the Commonwealth Games Federation are presently in the Capital for the CGF General Assembly to be held here on October 12 and have inspected a few under-construction venues and the Games Village today. "We could have completed the stadiums two years back but it would have been of no use. But there are still 360 days to go for the Games and I can assure you that everything will be completed much before the deadline.” "Most of the delegates are very impressed with facilities. We have addressed all their queries. We have even finalised the dates of the Test events," Bhanot told reporters here. With less than a year to go for the Delhi Games, the organizers are running against time to complete all the infrastructure related to the showpiece event scheduled from October 3 -14 next year. Worries compounded further after CGF chief Mike Fennell wrote a letter to the 2010 CWG Organising Committee chairman Suresh Kalmadi, saying he fears that the Delhi Games would be a partial failure. He even sought Prime Minister Manmohan Singh`s intervention in this regard. However, Fiji Olympic Committee Chef-de-Mission Chris Lee said he was impressed with what he has seen after arriving at the Capital. "We are very impressed with what we have witnessed and I am confident that everything will finish on time. I am confident that it will be a successful Games," Lee said after inspecting the Thyagraj Sports Complex and the Games Village. His feelings were echoed by Fiji Olympic Committee President Vidya Lakhan. "The time we landed at the airport till now we have been looked after very well. We will be sending 20-30 member team for the Games," he said. Meanwhile, Bhanot said tomorrow the delegates will be divided in three groups for the inspection tour. Bhanot said India is behind Fiji after serious doubts were raised over the Pacific nation`s participation in the Delhi Games after the Commonwealth suspended its membership in protest against the recent military coup. "We support Fiji. According to me sports should never be mixed with politics," Bhanot said. Incidentally, Fiji`s participation in Delhi Games will be decided in the CGF General Assembly on October 12. Bureau Report