All for CWG, Asiad off radar

BANGALORE: The extended ego trip over next year's Commonwealth Games might have taken India's focus away from an equally daunting task which they will face in Guangzhou from November 12-27 next year - the Asian Games. The argument the central government and the Indian Olympic Association have fallen back on - that the country's best are already preparing for the CWG - may be true in some disciplines but in others, they are in the danger of falling woefully behind target.

With the Asiad just 16 months away, disciplines which do not figure in the CWG are yet to receive the kind of training and financial package that has already been provided for the Delhi event. Among those disciplines suffering on this count are volleyball, basketball, cue sports, equestrian, judo, rowing, sailing and canoeing.

In talks with federations which were deprived of special care ever since the CWG training schedule was implemented last year, the government seemingly showed the empathy and keenness in preparing the teams for the Asian Games but did not care to translate them into elaborate plans.

The ambivalence was obvious as many sports administrators couldn't figure out why the government —which knew that hardly 29 days separated the CWG and the Asian Games — did not prefer to announce a consolidated plan for the two multi-sport events. Now, according to ministry sources, individual packages are being worked out for these sports disciplines and will be ready in the next 15 days. "No doubt, there has been a delay in chalking out a plan for the Asian Games.

Many factors, including the elections are to be blamed for this," sources told TOI. "But we have been working on this front for the last one month. We should be announcing the allocation and the training plan very soon. There would be no dearth of funds for consumables, exposure etc."

But to many of the sports administrators, the delay in formulating a plan is of much concern as they feel it may create an imbalance in terms of training and number of exposure tours. "We have just the World Championship qualifiers in August (for seniors) and the World Junior Championship in Pune serving as match practice as of now," A Ramana Rao, assistant secretary of Volleyball Federation of India, said.

There is a sense of deprivation in other sports too. Some have even complained of limited camp days with the CWG sports being given preference in most SAI centres. What is also jarring is the physical divide created by the enhanced allowances and special privileges for CWG athletes.

Athletes at the South Centre are quick to point to separate dining sections for CWG probables. "With their diet being different - they are allotted Rs 450 per day as against Rs 250 for other trainees - CWG athletes are encouraged to sit separately. They have their own list of food supplements, all approved by the government. But the others aren't as privileged, as diet and supplements will have to come well within the Rs 250 mark."

Soruce:TOI

IWF warns of lesser medals in CWG

NEW DELHI: Indian Weightlifting Federation has warned that the country might end up with very few medals in the 2010 Commonwealth Games as the lifters are training without basic equipment, food supplements and enough coaches due to Sports Ministry's apathy.

IWF General Secretary Baldev Raj Gulati said the lifters have been facing problems galore at the two training centres - Bangalore SAI Centre and Army Sports Institute Pune -- as they lack even the bare necessities for training.

The core group athletes were selected for intensive training of at least 20 months to get maximum medals in the Games to be hosted by the national capital.

Weightlifters had accounted for a major chunk of medals in the last two Commonwealth Games (27 out of 69 in Manchester and nine out of 50 in Melbourne).

"Weightlifting accounts for a major share of medals in the Commonwealth Games but SAI and Sports Ministry have not provided enough basic equipments or food supplements. We are also finding it difficult to get the recommended number of coaches because they are not being given lucrative money for the one and half years of assignment," Gulati said.

Gulati was at loss of words to explain why the Ministry did not provide even enough barbells, a basic necessity for training.

He said the IWF had to borrow them from the state associations and the two training centres leading to "irrational" training schedules, which increase the risk of injury to the lifters.

"We don't even have the required number of barbells. We have to borrow them from the state associations or use them from the ASI. Normally, the lifters train in two sessions everyday. in morning and evening.

"Now, they have to train in five shifts in batches due to lack of barbells. They have to train at a time they should be resting because we cannot disturb the training schedule of the ASI athletes," he said.

"So the training schedule has become totally irrational besides this increasing the risk of injury to the lifters. This could seriously impact on the performance of the lifters in the Games. This is true for other sports also but the officials do not want to speak out," he added.

Another cause of concern, Gulati said, was that the lifters have been training without food supplements for the last four months.

"The SAI is struggling in chalking out the modalities and the type of food supplements for the lifters. They are yet to form a committee to do that.

"These supplements have been made mandatory by the Sports Ministry's own steering Committee. The lifters have been training for the last four months
at tremendous risk. The Ministry's own medical team has warned of a possibility of injuries due to lack of required supplements," Gulati said.

"We have been sending reminders but SAI has been taking its own time," he added.

Moreover, the technical equipment required for performance analysis, which has been sanctioned by the ministry, has not been procured till now despite a new coach, Hungarian Imre Zsuga, taking charge.

Another grievance of the federation was the government's reluctance to bear the cost of a touring manager in foreign competitions despite clear guidelines of Sports Ministry.

"The Ministry uses dubious tactics to ensure that it does not bear the cost of a manager on foreign competitions despite a clear guideline approved by its own steering committee. They want the coach to do the job of manager which is simply not possible," Gulati said.

"The Ministry clears the manager at no cost to government four or five days before the departure of the team which leaves very little time for the federation to protest and approach them. Many a times, a manager had to go on his/her own expense," Gulati said.

"Moreover, the usual practice of the Ministry taking a long time to reimburse the federation of the expenses incurred in foreign competitions has left federations like IWF to pay interests for long time on money borrowed from external sources," Gulati said.

He said the Ministry is yet to reimburse around Rs 13 lakh spent by IWF in the Asian Senior Championships in Kazakhstan (May 9-16) and Rs 9 lakh for the Youth World Championships in Thailand (May 19-24).

"The ministry gives clearance for visa four or five days before departure of the team but not the financial clearance which means the federation has to borrow from external sources at market rates of interests and while reimbursing the government takes its own time," he claimed.

Soruce:TOI

'The Wall' of Indian hockey to bid adieu after 2010 CWG

New Delhi, Apr 15 (PTI) At 31, Dilip Tirkey, the impregnable 'Wall' of Indian hockey may not be getting younger, but he still desires to enthrall the home crowd in next year's World Cup and Commonwealth Games before hanging up his boots.

With 404 outings, the soft-spoken defender from Sundargarh, a tribal belt in Orissa, recently became the most capped player in international circuit during the Azlan Shah tournament in Ipoh, Malaysia and Tirkey dedicated the feat to his team-mates and the national sport as a whole.

"I am very happy and it's a big honour for me because there are many big players in world hockey. I want to dedicate this honour to the Indian team and Indian hockey," Tirkey told PTI in an interview.

Although, he is eyeing to play his part in the 2010 World Cup and Commonwealth Games in the Capital before calling it a day, he seemed to take a more practical approach towards his participation in future tournaments.

"Presently, I am thinking of playing atleast one more year because we are hosting the Commonwealth Games and World Cup next year. Any player will want to play such big tournaments before his home crowd because it's a totally different feeling.
PTI

India promises safe 2010 Commonwealth Games

NEW DELHI: India's Olympic chief on Tuesday sought to allay security fears at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi saying the country was committed to providing a "safe and secure" environment.

Suresh Kalmadi, who heads the organising committee for the Games, emailed participating nations a week after the militant attack on Sri Lankan cricketers in Pakistan.

"May I reassure you that the organising committee and government of India are committed to provide an absolutely safe and secure environment for athletes, officials and visiting dignitaries during the Commonwealth Games," Kalmadi wrote.

"All preparations are going ahead with fullest speed and a never-before experience of participation and pleasure awaits you all.

"I appeal to you to have full confidence in our preparations and stand united to defeat any attempt to destabilize global camaraderie and goodwill."

India's hosting of the event was thrown into question after a delay in building infrastructure and security concerns in the wake of the Lahore and Mumbai attacks.

Australian swimming legend Dawn Fraser has warned that organisers risk "another Munich" if they proceed with the Games, while Sri Lanka cricket coach Trevor Bayliss said on Tuesday that extremists could target the Games.

"There's some big questions to be asked by the governing bodies of all the sports, not just cricket," Bayliss told reporters in Melbourne.

"I think this proves if cricket, which is the number one sport basically on the subcontinent, can get hit, then any sport can get hit and especially any big sporting tournaments or the Commonwealth Games maybe."

New Delhi, which hosted the Asian Games in 1951 and 1982, will hold the Commonwealth Games in October next year.

Source:http://sports.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/?frm_TOIHome_top

Delhi 2010 Games to go ahead: Australian chief

SYDNEY: Australia's Commonwealth Games chief said on Wednesday there was no reason to call off the 2010 Delhi Games in the wake of an attack on Sri Lanka's cricket team in Pakistan.

At least eight people died and seven cricketers were injured when masked gunmen opened fire on the team's buses on the way to Lahore's Gaddafi Stadium on Tuesday.

Australian swimming champion Dawn Fraser called for the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi to be cancelled to avoid "another Munich", a reference to the murder of Israeli athletes at the 1972 Munich Olympic Games by Palestinian extremists.

But the country's Commonwealth Games Association chief Perry Crosswhite, who competed at Munich, said the Lahore attack should not prevent the Delhi Games going ahead.

"Like everyone else I am shocked that they attacked a sporting team, and Pakistan cricket is so popular, for terrorists to do this is almost unheard of," he said.

"(But) we are not saying the Games are going to be cancelled.

"At this stage the Games are on at Delhi 2010 and we have no reason to believe that they won't take place."

Crosswhite added that he believed the Commonwealth Games were a low-priority target because most of the countries involved were developing nations.

The Commonwealth Games Federation would hold a teleconference to discuss security issues "very shortly", and Australian officials would visit Delhi in early April, he said.

"We are looking at new steps to put in place to ensure our athletes are protected," Crosswhite said. "I don't think anyone can guarantee anybody's safety any more."

"But what we can say is that we will make an assessment, that the potential threats are at an acceptable level (at Delhi)," he added.

He said athletes would be informed, and allowed to make their own decision about attending the games if the threat was deemed to be unacceptable.

Source:http://sports.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Delhi-2010-Games-to-go-ahead-Australian-chief/articleshow/4221832.cms

MPs' panel concerned over 'inadequate' security ahead of 2010 Games

NEW DELHI: Close on the heels of a Parliamentary panel finding serious lapses in preparations for Commonwealth Games, another committee on Thursday observed that security to people in Delhi appeared to be "inadequate'' ahead of the 2010 event. It suggested that the government should take urgent measures after a comprehensive review.

The Standing Committee on Home Affairs in its report said the actual security cover to the people of Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) ahead of the Games "appears to be inadequate, particularly in the light of the recent serial bomb blasts and more recently the Mumbai terror attacks.''

Recommending that the home ministry undertake a "comprehensive review'' of the security capability of the Delhi Police, the panel, headed by BJP member Sushma Swaraj, said: "The committee also desires that the Metro stations in Delhi need to be provided full security and no stone should be left unturned.''

In its action taken report, the home ministry, however, informed that the government has already sanctioned 5,000 additional posts in the Delhi Police specifically in the context of the Commonwealth Games. Also, an additional 7,612 posts have been sanctioned in terms of a larger proposal of the Delhi Police.

It also said that it was decided to hand over the security of Delhi Metro to CISF and 1,633 posts were sanctioned to the paramilitary force for the purpose.

The panel also referred to the issue of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants, saying that "a large presence of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants poses a grave threat to the internal security'' and should be viewed seriously.

Noting that "any laxity'' on the Indo-Bangladesh border would prove detrimental to India's security and economic progress, the panel suggested strengthening of surveillance.

Source:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Cities/MPs-panel-concerned-over-inadequate-security-ahead-of-2010-Games/articleshow/4197550.cms

Delhi gets Rs 2360 crore in budget ahead of 2010 Commonwealth Games

NEW DELHI: As the national capital gears up to host the 2010 Commonwealth Games, Delhi has been allocated a whopping Rs 2360 crore, an increase of Rs 1600 crore compared to last year, in the interim Union Budget for 2009-10.

The National Capital Territory of Delhi has been given Rs 1000 crore for the Commonwealth Games infrastructure, compared to Rs 400 crore given during 2008-09.

Expenditures on Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission schemes have also recorded a sharp jump from Rs 108.36 crore in the revised estimate for 2008-09 to Rs 1045.01 crore in 2009-10.

Focus in the budget has been given on development of urban infrastructure which was allocated Rs 478.52 crore compared to Rs 50 crore last time.

Besides, integrated housing and slum development has been given Rs 93.12 crore compared to nil in 2008-09.

The Centre provided assistance to the NCT of Delhi for programmes that provide nutrition to adolescent girls, e-governance and Rashtriya Krishi Vikash Yojana.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Cities/Budget-package-for-Cwealth-Games/articleshow/4137613.cms

PCB top brass to visit Delhi to discuss 2011 WC preparation

Karachi, Feb 9 (PTI) The Chairman and Chief Operating Officer of the Pakistan Cricket Board will attend a emergency meeting of the 2011 World Cup Central Organising Committee in New Delhi on February 19 to discuss some crucial issues related to the ICC events.

PCB CEO Saleem Altaf confirmed a four-member delegation of the cricket board, including the new Managing Director of the World Cup secretariat in Lahore, would be going to Delhi for the meeting on the invitation of ICC Vice President Sharad Pawar who heads the organising committee.

He said matters related to the World Cup would be discussed at the meeting but sources in the board said this year's Champions Trophy would also come under discussion.

The ICC recently relocated the Champions Trophy from Pakistan due to some teams expressing reservations over playing in Pakistan because of security reasons.

The ICC is due to decide on a new venue for the tournament in April.

"Apparently India is keen that the eight-nation tournament remain in Asia and that is why this emergent meeting has been called from the World Cup platform," one source told PTI.

Source: PTI

2010 Commonwealth Games

The 2010 Commonwealth Games are scheduled to be held in Delhi, India between 3 October and 14 October 2010. With a population of over 15 million, Delhi is one of the largest cities in the world. This will be the largest multi-sport event conducted to date in Delhi and India generally, which has previously hosted the Asian Games in 1951 and 1982. The opening ceremony is scheduled to take place at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Delhi.

This is the first time the Commonwealth Games will be held in India, which will be the third developing country to host the event (after Jamaica in 1966 and Malaysia in 1998). This is the second time the event has been held in Asia (after 1998).

In January 2005, the Commonwealth Games Federation vice-president Raja Randhir Singh expressed concern that Delhi was behind schedule in forming an organising committee. On 18 January 2008, however, the Commonwealth Games Federation expressed its approval of Delhi's progress.

In addition to the Commonwealth Games, the city of Pune, India hosted the 3rd Commonwealth Youth Games between October 12 and 18, 2008. The Youth Games offered nine sports: athletics, badminton, boxing, shooting, swimming, table tennis, tennis, weightlifting and wrestling.

In Montego Bay, Jamaica on 13 November 2003, the Commonwealth Games Federation voted on the location of the 2010 Games. In a 46 to 22 vote by the CGF General Assembly, Delhi defeated the Canadian city of Hamilton and won the right to host the 2010 Games. India's Sports Minister will head the apex committee for conducting the games while the Indian Olympic Association president Suresh Kalmadi will head the organising committee. The Games will be held from the 3rd to 14 October 2010.

The logo for the 2010 Commonwealth Games was revealed on 6 January 2008 at an event taking place at the India Gate. The logo is inspired by the Ashoka Chakra, a symbol of freedom, unity, and power. Its spiraling upwards symbolizes India's rise as a global power and its transition from tradition to modernity. The colours symbolize India's vibrant and diverse culture and people, and each part of the logo symbolizes India welcoming the 71 Commonwealth nations and territories

Commonwealth Game 2010 a Historical Event

Commonwealth is an organization of independent sovereign states with different faiths, cultures, races, languages and traditions in the world. The Commonwealth Games is a sports event which is held once every four years. It is managed by the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF). The Commonwealth India 2010 or Commonwealth Games 2010 will be held in New Delhi.

About 14 million people will be hosting the Commonwealth Games in 2010. India will host Commonwealth Game for the first time. And Asia will host this event for the second time after the Commonwealth Game 1998 in Kuala Lumpur. Delhi became the host for the Commonwealth 2010 Games by defeating the Canadian city of Hamilton by 46 votes. This voting was done at CGF General Assembly in Montego Bay in November 2003.

Delhi, the capital city of India, is rich in history and culture. Located on the western end of the Gangetic Plain, this state is bordered by Uttar Pradesh and Haryana. The old district of the state popularly known as Old Delhi was the capital of Muslim India during the 18th century.

Many mosques and historic sites were built in this part of Delhi during the reign of the Muslim rulers. Later on, museums to commemorate their victories were built here. New Delhi was created by the British Raj. The majestic government buildings and tree lined avenues are worth visiting.

In order to attend the Commonwealth India 2010, you will have to be at Delhi from 3 - 14 October 2010 and witness the special event, right from the Opening to the Closing Ceremonies. October is a favorable time to visit Delhi as the temperature ranges from minimum 17.2 degrees centigrade to maximum 31.3 degrees centigrade. Humidity during this time of the year ranges from 31 to 78% for the October and November months.

The Commonwealth Game 2010 will be held in the Delhi Games Village, located at the city center. It will be constructed as a low rise medium development on a 40 acre site and can accommodate 8,500 athletes and officials. Both the existing and new stadium will serve as the venue for a range of sports like:


Archery
Aquatics
Athletics
Badminton
Boxing
Cycling
Gymnastics
Hockey
Lawn Bowls
Netball
Rugby 7s
Shooting
Squash
Table Tennis
Tennis
Weightlifting
Wrestling

Apart from this, there will be 15 special events for the elite disabled athletes which will be contested across 4 Para-Sports like Athletics, Swimming, Power lifting and Table Tennis.

Tips for Visitors for Delhi Commonwealth Games

If you are planning to come to the city of Delhi in India during 2010 commonwealth games, then it is important to know the facilities of the local transportation available in Delhi. Majority of the people in Delhi use local transport facilities to commute from one place to another. The availability of different modes and means of transportation system has added to their convenience of traveling.

Some of the common modes of transport which are mostly used in the city range from taxis and buses to the trains.

Transport in Delhi
Taxis
For the visitors to the Delhi commonwealth games, taxis would serve as a convenient transport. Most of the taxis in Delhi are run by the tourism ministry of India. There are private operators too. You can avail taxis for traveling to the local sites as well as for long distances. To hire a taxi, you need to access the taxi stand or seek the help of the taxi service provider by telephone. Just remember that taxi journey proves little expensive.

Buses (DTC)
Bus services can be availed at cheap rates. Boasting one of the biggest bus networking systems in India, Delhi provides you an access to more than 2000 public buses. Some of the buses are run by private operators and some of them are operated by Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC).

The city has also introduced CNG buses. These are environmental friendly.

RTVs or Rural Transport Vehicles
You can also avail the services of the rural transport vehicles. But these ply on fewer routes only.

Auto Rickshaws
Costly than buses and cheaper to taxis, the auto rickshaw services are easily available. However, you need to be little careful while going for this service. Many auto drivers do not agree to follow meters. If this happens, you are recommended to bargain a little for fare in advance.

Metro Train
This is a newly developed transport mode of the city. Started out in 2002, the metro train service has already become popular with the locals and has been acclaimed as one of the topnotch rapid transit systems in Asia. The traveling fares are moderate. This service enables you to travel across about 59 stations of the city.

For your convenience, route maps and rate charts have been made available at the Metro Stations.

Local Trains
Known to be the cheapest transport mode in Delhi, the local trains are best to avail to save travel time. Some of the major railway stations in Delhi are Old Delhi, New Delhi, Hazrat Nizamuddin, Shahdara, Shakur Basti, Okhla, Pragati Maidan and Tilak Bridge.

Apart from transport, the other travel tips for visitors traveling to Delhi for Commonwealth games comprise money exchange facility and sightseeing spots that are worth visiting.

Money Exchange facility in Delhi
Numerous money exchange kiosks are found in Delhi. However, it is always better to avail services of the kiosks which are run by government.

The exchange rates would differ from one kiosk to another. So do opt for bargaining. You will find these kiosks near railway stations and airports. Besides, several hotels of different categories also provide in-house money exchange facilities.

Tourist Attractions in Delhi
An experience of traveling during Delhi commonwealth will become exciting and memorable, if you can take some time out to explore the popular sightseeing spots of the city. Some of the noted hot spots in Delhi are the India Gate, the Qutab Minar, the Red Fort, the Raj Ghat and the Lotus Temple or the Baha'i Temple.

Work on schedule, stadia would be ready before 2010 CWG: Govt

New Delhi, Feb 6 (PTI) The government today allayed fears that much of the construction work for the Commonwealth Games is running behind schedule and assured stadia and other infrastructure would be ready in time for the 2010 sporting extravaganza in the capital.

"The work on the major stadia being constructed for Commonwealth Games, 2010 namely Jawahar Lal Nehru Stadium, Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium, National Stadium, Dr S P Mukherjee Swimming Complex, Thyagraj Stadium, Sri Fort Stadium, Yamuna Sports Complex and R K Khanna Tennis Stadium is progressing as per schedule," the government said in a statement.

"The targetted date for completion of these civil and electrical works is December 31, 2009 while targetted date for completion of the Games Village and the Cycling Vellodrome is March 31, 2010. The civil and electrical work of Dr Karni Singh Shooting Ranges will be completed by October, this year," the statement said.

Deadlines have been set up for each venue and work progressed would be monitored on a web-based Monitoring System developed by the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, it said.

The Sports Ministry said work on the venues are being done in a phased manner to prevent facilities getting worn out by the time the Games kicks off.

PTI

DDA to provide 5,000 houses for Games tourists

New Delhi In a bid to meet the current shortage of accommodation in the Capital for the 2010 Commonwealth Games, the Inter-Ministerial Group has given a go-ahead to the Delhi Development Authority’s proposal of providing 5,000 houses to the Indian Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC). According to the plan, these 5,000 houses will be furnished by the ITDC and then used to accommodate foreign tourists in the Capital for the 2010 Games. Thereafter, the DDA will sell these houses through its usual lottery scheme.

Sources in the DDA have said that while they are yet to get an official directive from the Ministry of Urban Development, they are aware of the proposal and are equipped to meet the demand. “We currently have 14,000 houses under construction in Delhi and will definitely be able to hand over 5,000 houses to the ITDC in time for them to furnish them before the Games. Almost 2,500 of these houses are in Vasant Kunj,” a senior DDA official said.

With a shortage of almost 30,000 hotel rooms in the Capital, meeting the huge gap in accommodation has been a major concern for the government. The DDA as of now does not expect that the cost of these houses will go up significantly after they are spruced up by the ITDC. The DDA is expected to hand over these flats by March 9 this year, which the ITDC will hand back after the Games. source: http://www.expressindia.com/

Commonwealth Games expenses to overshoot budget

Expenses for the 2010 Commonwealth Games in India will overshoot the budgeted costs, the head of the organizing body said Tuesday.

Suresh Kalmadi, chairman of the organizing committee and president of the Indian Olympic Association, said the budget for the multidiscipline event will increase due to the rising cost of construction.

"The games budget will increase considering the escalating prices of raw material used in construction," Press Trust of India quoted Kalmadi as saying after an inspection visit of the stadium that will stage athletics and the opening and closing ceremonies.

"We're building an international standard stadium here and we won't compromise on that," Kalmadi said. "The prices of steel and cement are high and we're taking that into consideration."

Two months ago, during an appraisal survey of the venues, the Commonwealth Games Federation said it was concerned over the slow pace of work, but Kalmadi said the construction and upgrading of venues would be completed in the next 12 months.

"We're on target and 30 percent of the work has been completed," Kalmadi said. "Most of the infrastructure will be ready by December and the test events will start in March next year."

The 2010 Commonwealth Games are scheduled for Oct. 3-14.

New Delhi was chosen to host the 2010 Commonwealth Games after several previous failed bids, becoming only the second Asian city to be allocated the event that features athletes from the former British Empire.

Source: http://www.etaiwannews.com/etn/news_content.php?id=830983&lang=eng_news

I want to see myself in India colours again: Jugraj

KOLKATA: More than five years after a road accident brought his flying career to a standstill, drag-flick specialist Jugraj Singh still battles it out to see himself back in the Indian jersey and is miffed for being part of the system which has lapses.

Once a posterboy of Indian hockey for his superb skills, Jugraj, who is representing Punjab Police in the Beighton Cup here, lamented at the state of affairs of Indian hockey and said the first requirement is to have a federation in place.

Lambasting the present Indian hockey set up -- an ad-hoc committee, which looks after the federation which was disbanded by IOA last year -- Jugraj said, "There are few lapses in the federation. Things cannot be smooth till we have a federation in place. It was very embarassing to see India not figure in Olympics..."

He claimed he was part of the system as he failed to get back his place despite recovering well from the injury.

He made a comeback for India for the Germany tour in 2006 before being left on the sidelines.

But he said the team must do well in the present and aim for a better show in future.

"We must not look into the past but should do well in the present and hope for a better show in 2010. There will be Commonwealth Games and World Cup lined up in 2010, I am sure if we do well the glorious days will be back."

He stressed on the importance of developing coaching facility in India.

Giving his example, he said he was never taught drag flicking.

"I started drag flicking, seeing from TV. Nobody taught me this. The federation should look after the players, give enough coaching and infrastructure facility so as to see the sport come back to its glorious days," he added.

He however has not stopped dreaming about making a comeback.

"I am doing very well now. I am playing all matches and can play the full 70 minutes on the field that shows that I've fully recovered. One day I would like to see Indian jersey on my body again," he signed off.

"First I was called to be prepared. So I waited for six months, however there was no call-up and suddenly, one day I was called to appear before the trials which was not fair. Certainly, there are few lapses in the selection procedure," he claimed.

Considered as one of the best in penalty-corner conversion, Jugraj met with the accident in September 2003 which nearly ended his brilliant career as he was out of action for 14 months.

Source: http://sports.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/I_want_to_see_myself_in_India_colours_again_Jugraj/articleshow/3953336.cms

No money for women hockey players, coaches

BANGALORE: Women's hockey in India is never short on controversies. The latest to rack the game is the irregular flow of graded payments to the national pool of players and coaches that began with the entry of a sponsor three years ago.

It's been nearly a year since the players and coaches received their cheques from City Limouzines, the sponsor roped in by the Indian Women's Hockey Federation (IWHF) in 2006, sources told TOI.

Payments were regular in the first few months but shrunk to a trickle by mid-2007 before the last of the cheques were handed over in February 2008, the sources said.

According to the IWHF grid laid out in 2006, players were bracketed in the Rs 10,000, Rs 8,000, Rs 3,000 and Rs 2,000 categories while the coaches were given Rs 15,000 (national coach), Rs 12,000 (chief coach, juniors) and Rs 5,000.

There were obvious difficulties in grading players every month, particularly with the frequent entries and exits in the team but sources alleged that the IWHF contributed to the situation by being rather slack in its approach.

City Limouzines officials corroborated the view stating that there were many months of inactivity when frequent reminders from the sponsor to the federation went unheard.

"We told them on many occasions to send the list of players to us so that we could clear the payments. We are committed to paying stipend to players and coaches and there has never been any delay from our end," a City Limouzines official told TOI. The official said the cheques were always drawn against the names of the players. "This way, we ensured the recipients got the money promptly. There are many players with limited sources of income. We didn't want any complaints from anyone."

According to the official, the sponsor was only playing it safe, particularly after it found that the IWHF had not allegedly kept its word on two other issues. One was the publicity and advertisement which the federation had said the sponsor would get in major tournaments.

"Out of a total amount of Rs 1.05 crore to be handed over annually to the IWHF until the 2010 Commonwealth Games, Rs 50 lakh had to go to the players and the other half was to be given to the IWHF for publicity. But we weren't happy with the results or the visibility that we got. So we decided that we wouldn't pay them the other Rs 50 lakh," the official said.

The remaining Rs 5 lakh, reserved for team jerseys and kitting, too hasn't been spent in a deserving fashion in the past, the official alleged.

The IWHF denied it had defaulted on the payments but admitted there had been a delay. "There are difficulties in getting things done on time because we are functioning without an office," a federation official told TOI. "We have to prepare lists of players for every month and that requires time."

The official insisted the players would be paid once they reach Delhi in the next few days en route to their respective international tours.

Source: http://sports.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Hockey/News/No_money_for_women_hockey_players_coaches/articleshow/3953854.cms

DDA may provide 5,000 flats to house C'wealth visitors

NEW DELHI: As the city gears up to host Commonwealth Games-2010, Delhi Development Authority (DDA) is likely to provide around 5,000 apartments to meet the huge accommodation shortage, a major concern ahead of the mega event.

Racing against time, an inter-ministerial group set up to expedite preparations for the Games is learnt to have okayed the proposal to ask DDA to meet the accommodation shortage by handing over around 5,000 flats to India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) before the event.

The proposal will help government bridge the gap in hotel accommodation but DDA officials feel the prices of these flats after the ITDC makeover may become too high for the general populace.

TOI had earlier reported that the ministerial panel, headed by urban development minister S Jaipal Reddy, was considering the option of roping in DDA to meet the accommodation deficit.

The ministerial panel, with tourism minister Ambika Soni and S&T minister Kapil Sibal as members, has met several times to review progress of ongoing works being executed by various agencies. The panel's main concern, however, is the shortage of hotel accommodation for foreign and domestic visitors during the sporting extravaganza.

The government expects 1.5 lakh visitors during the Games as 71 countries are scheduled to take part in the event to be held from October 3-14, 2010.

Sports minister M S Gill had also voiced concern that the target of creating an additional 30,000 hotel rooms might not be achieved.

Tourism ministry sources said officials from the ministry and DDA had held several rounds of consultations to finalise modalities for handing over the flats, mostly in Vasant Kunj, to ITDC by March 2009.

A tourism ministry official said that though details were yet to be worked out, ITDC would spruce up the flats after taking possession from DDA to make them more attractive for foreign visitors.

Sources said the flats would be handed back to DDA after the Games and the development agency would be free to auction them to the public.

However, DDA officials said that after the ITDC makeover, prices of the flats would escalate many times over.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Delhi/DDA_may_provide_5000_flats_to_house_Cwealth_visitors/articleshow/3953261.cms

Sheila reviews work at three 2010 Games sites

NEW DELHI: A day after a labourer was killed in an accident at the Commonwealth Games Village site, CM-designate Sheila Diskhit visited three Games-related projects on Monday to review the progress of construction work. She reiterated her commitment to facilitate the success of the event in 2010 which would enhance Delhi's image, an official release said.

The CM, with a fleet of officials from her office, MCD, PWD, CPWD and Sports Authority of India (SAI), visited the Thyagraj Sports Complex, Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium and Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium, besides reviewing the status of Salim Garh fort bypass project, which is yet to get a go ahead from Delhi Urban Art Commission (DUAC).

The CM had sought the mandate to carry out development works for the Games during her election campaign.

Dikshit reportedly instructed officials to ensure uniform signages and fool-proof security measures at all the venues. According to CMO, the construction is in full swing and is one month ahead of the schedule. Dikshit asked the MCD to give a facelift to neighbouring localities, the release said.

She was told by officials at JLN Stadium, where upgradation, renovation and new construction are in progress, that the venue would be used for the opening and closing events and three competitions. This is going to be disabled-friendly and environment-friendly. Officials also claimed that the renovated gymnastics stadium, with a capacity to accommodate 16,000 persons, and the new wrestling stadium, with a capacity of 7,500 persons, would be completed in December, 2009. New Velodrome Stadium, having a capacity of 4,000 persons, would be ready by March 2010.

PWD officials also presented the case of DUAC delaying the go ahead for Salim Garh Fort bypass project on the Ring Road. "Since this is also a crucial project and related to the Games, she has told us to take up the issue with the DUAC. We are hopeful of an NOC from the agency soon. A team of DUAC officials would visit the site in the next few days. The authority has certain reservations regarding the number of trees to be axed,'' said a senior PWD official.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Cities/Delhi/Sheila_reviews_work_at_three_2010_Games_sites/articleshow/3842582.cms

Delhi varsities to be upgraded for Commonwealth Games 2010

New Delhi: In 2010, Delhi will play host to the third largest multi-sporting event in the world, with tens of thousands of visitors descending upon the city. To prepare itself for this, the city is planning a major overhaul of its urban infrastructure as well as its sporting facilities.

Commencing from October 3rd in 2010, the amazing bouquet of exquisite sport events will continue up to October 14th.

The Minister of State for Youth Affairs & Sports, Dr. M.S. Gill, recently said that a total of Rs.339 crores will be required for the upgradation and development of the venues of Commonwealth Games (CWG) 2010.

The Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium, Siri Fort Sports Complex, Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium etc. are not just the ones undergoing massive development and upgradation, universities across the capital are also set for an extensive renovation.

The venues including the ones at Delhi University (DU), Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) and Delhi Public School (DPS), R.K. Puram will be upgraded and developed for various competitions and training of sportspersons during the event.

Delhi University (DU) has been selected as the venue for Aquatics and Rugby 7's events.

The varsity is planning to set up an advanced Aquatics complex and a coaching centre to groom the budding talents, keeping in mind the CWG-standards.

The varsity will have four swimming pools including an Olympic size (50 metres) swimming pool, a synchronized swimming pool, warm-up pool and diving pool, each outfitted with a filtration plant and heating system.

Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) has been selected as the training venue for Lawn Bowls, Rugby 7's and Table Tennis for the mega event.

For enhancing the playing capabilities and medal prospects of Indian sportspersons in the context of the Commonwealth Games 2010, an amount of Rs.678 crores has been approved by the Government towards training; domestic/international competitions in India; foreign exposure; equipments and scientific back-up for the sportspersons.

The target of providing state-of-the-art training is to about 1280 players belonging to 18 sports, in which competition would take place during CWG 2010.

Source:http://indiaedunews.net/Delhi/Delhi_varsities_to_be_upgraded_for_Commonwealth_Games_2010_6835/

Sports ministry develops web-based monitoring system for CWG

NEW DELHI: Amid reports of lax preparation of the 2010 Commonwealth Games, sports ministry has gone high-tech by developing a "web-based monitoring system" to make sure all work is completed on time.

Sports minister MS Gill assured that preparations were on full swing and revealed that they were using the state-of-the-art system to keep a tab on preparations so that the deadline to carry out the job was met.

"After obtaining the necessary regulatory clearances, the work on the 13 competition venues and most of the training venues has commenced and is continuing apace," Gill said.

"Time Lines, against monitorable parameters are being monitored, on a web-based monitoring system developed by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports," he told the Rajya Sabha in reply to a question on Thursday.

"The projects are expected to be completed in time for the Commonwealth Games," he added.

Delhi was recently asked by the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) to speed up their preparations for the prestigious quadrennial event.

SORUCE: http://sports.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Other_Sports/Others/Sports_ministry_develops_web-based_monitoring_system_for_CWG/articleshow/3824057.cms