`NZ should seek independent security advice before CWG call`

Christchurch: New Zealand should not rely on Indian government`s security assurances for the Commonwealth

Games in New Delhi as anybody with a stake in the event cannot be trusted to give accurate information, feels the Kiwis` Cricketers Association. New Zealand Players` Association, which is having trouble getting security details of next month`s Indian Premier League, said the country should seek independent assessment before deciding whether to send a delegation for the quadrennial extravaganza. "It`s massively important to seek independent advice on issues of security. I can`t emphasise that point enough," Mills said. "Any analysis or supposed guarantees you get from the organisers of any event is clearly going to be conflicted. They are entirely motivated to make sure the event goes ahead for political reasons as well as having a commercial interest in it," he said. Mills said New Zealand should participate only if independent experts give a thumbs up to the security measures in New Delhi. "When it comes to our Black Caps going overseas, we feel it`s vitally important to have independent people who can go in there and review the security management plans that event organisers put in place," he said. New Zealand Olympic Committee president Mike Stanley said the decision would be based on "the best information available" and they were relying on the Commonwealth Games Federation to guide them. "The Commonwealth Games Federation has its own international security consultants who assess the Indian event organisers` arrangements and advise them on things," Stanley said. "We get information from both the CGF and the government and have a high degree of confidence we are going to get good information," he added. Mills said the Games officials should also seek advice from other security experts. "You get as much information out of the various government agencies that you can. They have good people involved but in our experience they will only provide information as opposed to advising you what to do," he said. "At the end of the day, they are not responsible for the athletes and nor should they be. The duty of care lies with the national sports body.” "The New Zealand government is also going to have to factor in international politics and diplomacy, meaning they may not be in a position to question what`s going on in India to the level required," he added. The Commonwealth Games are scheduled from October 3 to 14 this year. PTI