England,Australia back Commonwealth Games

British Sports Minister Hugh Robertson,who will spend several days in Delhi next month,also said Games organisers needed support, not threats by teams that they might withdraw.

8220;It would be an utter tragedy if anything went wrong at the last moment but I have had no indication that this will not go ahead and I expect it to do so. They need support and understanding and for people to back their Games,it is not helpful to just throw your hands in the air,8221; he said.

8220;We are clearly in a slightly fevered media environment and it8217;s important that one takes a sensible and strategic long-term view. There is nothing that I have seen or heard that has suggested that these are problems that cannot be sorted out,8221; Robertson said.

8220;I8217;m expecting that our teams will turn up in Delhi as announced and that the Games will go ahead as planned,8221; he added.

Australian world discus champion Dani Samuels yesterday pulled out of the CWG citing security and health concerns and Arbib said he has been told by his country8217;s top officials of more athletes pulling out following the preparation crisis to the Games in India.

The build-up to the Games is being plagued by complaints over unhygienic conditions at the Games Village while a footbridge near the main venue collapsed yesterday. Before that in a firing incident two foreign tourists were injured on Sunday.

Arbib said he had a long conversation with Australian Commonwealth Games Association boss Perry Crosswhite,who said more athletes are likely to pull out.

8220;He didn8217;t have any information about any athletes,but he thought there could be a number more who could make that decision to withdraw,8221; Arbib told reporters in Sydney.

8220;His Crosswhite8217;s view is that while there is work to be done in the Australian quarters,that work can be done by September 27,8221; Arbib said.

Arbib said he respected the decision of Samuels to pull out of the Games but there were no plans for Australia to withdraw and he would travel to New Delhi to represent the government.

8220;She Samuels has taken the time and read the advice I respect that decision and every individual really needs to make that decision for themselves. We are telling any athlete who is travelling to make sure they understand the security risk and make sure they display caution overseas.8221;

8220;The decision on whether to travel to India for the Commonwealth Games is one for individuals to make. The government cannot tell people not to compete. It can8217;t tell parents not to attend,8221; he said.

Arbib said the Australian government was working closely with the Australian Commonwealth Games Association,the Australian High Commission,Indian officials and authorities from England,New Zealand and Canada.

The safety of Australian athletes was paramount and there will be restrictions on where athletes travel while in New Delhi for the Games,he said while urging all Australians to follow the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade8217;s travel advice,which urges a high degree of caution for travellers.

Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd also urged Australians to pay close attention to a travel alert warning of a 8220;high risk of terrorist attack8221; in New Delhi during the Games.

8220;It8217;s important for all Australians to pay close attention to the travel advisory that8217;s been issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs,8221; the Foreign Minister was quoted as saying by 8216;The Australian8217;.

8220;The travel advisory speaks for itself and it is not a document that is put together lightly,8221; he said pointing out that the advice of DFAT has been revised to 8220;high risk8221; travel warning following the weekend shooting of two foreigners outside Delhi8217;s Jama Masjid,the capital8217;s largest mosque.

Australia8217;s 1990 Commonwealth Games gold medallist Jame Flemming also expected more athletes to withdraw.

The fact that someone of Dani8217;s stature has withdrawn I8217;m sure is making a whole lot of others question their attendance,8221; Flemming said.

8220;It would not surprise me if we now see a whole flux of withdrawals.8221;

However,a Swimming Australia official said today there had been 8220;no indication from any swimmers that they are looking to pull out of the Games8221;.

England CWG chief Holmes defends Games

Commonwealth Games England President Kelly Holmes has leapt to the defence of the scandal-marred Commonwealth Games in New Delhi next month,saying it would be a success and Indians will feel 8220;proud8221; despite the construction delays,security and health concerns.

The Games,starting on October 3,have faced multiple problems,including corruption,threats of terror attack and dengue fever,unhygienic conditions at Athletes8217; Village and collapse of a footbridge near the main venue.

Despite the ongoing problems,Holmes believes the Games can be a huge success,citing the 2004 Olympics - which overcame problems of its own to be a great triumph 8212; as a marker.

8220;I compare it to the Athens Olympics when they were still planting trees on the day it opened. I don8217;t think it can get any worse than that,8221; Holmes was quoted as saying by 8216;The Times8217;.

However,Holmes said she returned from her visit to Delhi last month largely unimpressed with the state of some of the venues.

8220;I was there on the prime ministerial visit and I8217;m not going to lie 8212; it was a building site. Without the safety certificates for the venues it wasn8217;t going to go ahead but they came through last Monday,8221; Holmes said who won two gold 8212; in 800m and 1500m race 8212; in Athens.

Although Holmes said she understands why some feel it is wrong to host the mega-event in a country where a third of the population live in poverty,she is hoping it will bring joy to the country.

8220;It8217;s a fair point with a nation where so many people are in unfortunate positions,but I really hope the Games brings a different energy and makes some people feel proud. I just hope the general public in India will be given the chance to go to the Games,8221; she said.

England Sports Minister Hugh Robertson and CWG chef de mission Craig Hunter have also committed that the country would take part in the Games but the latter warned the organisers that time is running out for them to clean up the preparation mess.