Off the pace,across board

The Commonwealth Games Coordination Commission held a three-day meeting in May this year to assess how much work was...

The Commonwealth Games Coordination Commission held a three-day meeting in May this year to assess how much work was left ahead of the 2010 event. Its report,which came out in June,expressed serious concerns to the Suresh Kalmadi-led Organising Committee,and predicted that the Games would be a partial failure if no steps were taken soon.

The report also said that there was a centralist approach to all decision making and that the inconsistencies in decisions across the senior management lead to a conclusion that the OC management is largely dysfunctional. Decision making is ineffective and unlikely to support successful Games.

As Mike Fennell has said in his letter to the OC,those concerns were not addressed. Some of the findings of the report,a copy of which is with The Indian Express,are as follows:

Transport: High risk

The commission noted that there was a lack of coordination between the Organising Committee and the Delhi government. The Delhi government has been undertaking detailed route planning between the Village and competition venues but there was little other progress in relation to transport. This appears to have been conducted in isolation and without effective integration with the OC, said the report. While some initial planning has been undertaken by the OC,there is no evidence that sufficient progress is being made which will deliver successful Games transport, it added.

Finance: Revenue estimate ambitious

The report said that funding a total of 2 billion has been committed by the government. However,it says that revenue estimates from the Games 192 million projected by the Organising Committee do not appear to be achievable with little or no sponsorship and the current economic climate8230;Should those revenues not be achieved,the OC will be unable to repay the government loan.

Venue development and operational planning: Critical

While the various agencies maintain they will meet the March 2010 deadline for developing venues,the report pointed out a trend of increased slippages against base programmes. With regard to venue operational planning,the commission report said it was not well developed and presented extreme challenges and has knock on effects across a range of areas.

Ticketing: Critical,all deadlines missed

The OC,the report said,had failed to deploy relevant staff and consultants and had no ticketing policies or capabilities. It ignored advice to retain an experienced ticketing strategy and operations advisor. As a result,the October 2009 deadline for ticket price release is unlikely to be met.

Technology: Serious risk

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A selective Expression of Interest saw only Swiss Timing qualifying for supplying sports timing installations. Meanwhile,the systems at the OC headquarters were also dubbed as inadequate and might affect productivity. Chances of procuring any sponsors in this area were minimal.

Workforce

Claiming that workforce progress is impeded and that OC doesnt have experienced staff,the report said,Little or no progress has been made in recruiting international hires,including critical hires identified in 2008. This despite the OC repeatedly saying it was committed to recruiting foreign experts and that money was no object.

Governance and Management

Finally,the report said,The Coordination Commission is of the view that Games failure in part is now likely should the CGF not intervene. It is reasonable to further conclude that the current situation poses a serious risk to the Commonwealth Games in 2010,the Commonwealth Games brand and the image of the CGF.

Urging the CGF to step in,it added: If the CGF is to do anything to address this risk,it must act now as soon as the government is informed,as later intervention will be too late.