New Delhi, September 26: With criticisms pouring in from all quarters over the shambolic build-up to the Commonwealth Games, ICC president Sharad Pawar took a swipe at Suresh Kalmadi and called the October 3-14 event a ‘joke’.
Pawar, also the Union Agriculture Minister, came in to offer such scathing criticism over the Games following reports of leakages and collapses, which added to the concerns of the touring athletes having already cited reservations over the security and health issues.
Merely two weeks to go, a 95-mt pedestrian footbridge near the main event venue – Jawahar Lal Nehru Stadium – collapsed injuring 24 people, followed by reports of a false ceiling collapse in the same venue.
Various star athletes have pulled out of the Games in the wake of security fears, outbreak of dengue fever, and the latest setback – coupled with reports of ‘unlivable’ condition in Games Village – in the Games’ preperations also added to their concern.
”Somebody told that now-a-days people are talking about only one thing in Delhi. I asked, ‘what is it’. Then he replied, ‘Commonwealth Games.’ After that I said, ‘this Games has become a joke’,” Pawar said.
”Now-a-days, I am hearing a story that due to severe criticism, the Chief of the Organising Committee decided to commit suicide by hanging himself from the ceiling but ironically the ceiling came down.
”May be the quality of ceiling was not good,” quipped the ICC chief over the poor preperations of the October 3-14 Games.
–UNI