Fijis curious dissent: Fulsome praise,others frown at Games venues

On a day delegates from Canada and the British Virgin Islands expressed open dissatisfaction over preparations for the 2010 Commonwealth Games,the Organizing Committee OC got support and glowing praise from Fiji,a country that is itself all but out of the event following full suspension from the Commonwealth.

The security and other arrangements here are very good, Fiji delegate Vidhya Lakhan declared,sitting beside OC secretary-general Lalit Bhanot at a hastily organised news conference.

Chef de mission of the Fiji Olympic Committee,Christopher Yee,added: The Games Village is one of the best Ive seen. We are very impressed with what we have witnessed and I am confident that it will be a successful Games.

The praises for India came from a country that could be officially barred from the Games when the Commonwealth Games General Assembly meets at The Ashok in New Delhi on Monday.

The Commonwealth Secretariat has advised the Federation to suspend Fiji. They will be given an opportunity to present their case in front of the General Assembly on Monday and a decision will made after that, Commonwealth Games Federation CGF Chief Executive Mike Hooper told The Indian Express on Thursday.

CGF president Mike Fennell was quoted as saying last month,Fiji may not be allowed to take part in the Commonwealth Games.

Fiji has been facing international censure for its failure to restore democracy after a military coup in December 2006. Nigeria was not allowed to participate in the 1998 Games in Kuala Lumpur due to similar political reasons.

While India has not officially declared its stand on Fiji,the fact that OC officials were sharing a dais with delegates from Fiji suggested it might back the island nation at the CGF. Bhanot said later,They should participate in the Games. We are of the opinion that politics and sport should not be mixed.

Earlier in the day,as delegates from 71 international associations inspected some of the stadium sites,Ebrahim Penn of the British Virgin Islands said: We had expected to see a lot more work,a lot more than what has been accomplished so far.

Canadas Andrew Pipe said: We have come with a lot of questions and if we dont get satisfactory answers,it will have a serious implication on our participation in the Games. I have a lot of things to answer to my federation.

Fennell,who had written a letter to the OC last month expressing concern over the management of the Games and asking to meet the Prime Minister in order to avoid a partial failure,also visited the sites.

He declined to make a comment today,but is likely to address the media after Mondays General Assembly.

With Sobhana K