Australia, September 24: Giving thumps up to the Commonwealth games village, the Australia and New Zealand teams on Friday confirmed their participation in the mega event.
Earlier, the filthy, uninhabitable condition of the games village and the threat of terror strike in India were keeping their participation doubtful.
The Australian Olympic Committee had even questioning the wisdom behind awarding the event to Delhi.
But after the Australian Commonwealth games Association chief Perry Crosswhite on Friday morning visited the village, he appeared happy with the facilities.
“We are quite happy with the Village and we are looking forward to the Games. The Australian contingent is coming, it’s a thumps up to the Games” he said.
A few Australian athletes have, however, checked into the Village despite previous concerns about hygiene.
Australia is the dominant force at the Commonwealth level winning 222 medals, including 84 gold, in the previous edition in Melbourne.
After being indecisive for quite a few days, New Zealand Olympic Committee also gave a nod of approval to their athletes’ participation in the Games after seeing positive steps being taken by the organisers to improve the situation.
New Zealand Olympic Committee board gave the go ahead for the planned departures from September 28 after being briefed by NZOC President Mike Stanley and Secretary General Barry Maister, who were in Delhi to take stock of the situation.
Stanley said the situation was grim but it has started changing following intervention by the state and the central governments.
But there was no end to the criticism of Games organizers with Australian Olympic Committee President John Coates saying that India should never have been awarded the hosting rights of the event given the shoddy preparations.
“In hindsight, no, they shouldn’t have been awarded the Games,” Coates was quoted as saying by ‘The Australian Associated Press’.
There were some encouraging statements as well with New Zealand Prime Minister John Key saying that had he been an athlete he would have definitely gone to the Delhi Commonwealth Games despite the messy build-up to the event.
“Yeah, if I could pick my own sport, yeah I would go,” Key said.
—Agencies