Wellington, January 17: Even as countries around the world are becoming increasingly concerned with security fears for this year’s Commonwealth Games, veteran tennis star Leander Paes made a public appeal to New Zealand and other nations to come to the national capital of India.
Countries around the world are concerned about a possible terrorist attack during the Games but Paes claimed that all the safety measures will be in place for the October 3-14 Games.
”I’m sure everything that’s possible will be done, so please, come forward and experience my country,” said Paes who was in Auckland this week to play in the Heineken Open. ”I’ve lived in India my whole life. Being a known person in India is something that can be a concern but India is a fabulous country where there is a lot of peace and harmony. ”There is terrorism all around the world, it’s not just something that we have in India. ”There will be high security measures taken at theCommonwealth Games because it’s like an Olympics or Asian Games. ”I am sure the security will be fantastic. India is a great country, we have a lot to show for ourselves as far as tourism, business and sport goes,” the veteran doubles player told ‘Sunday News’. This week Australia’sCommonwealth Games Association CEO Perry Crosswhite said the risk at the Games was manageable but it was up to athletes to decide whether wish to attend the event.
”At this stage we have no reason to believe the Games will not be an acceptable level of risk,” Crosswhite said. ”But that doesn’t mean it can’t change. (And) as to whether athletes go or not, that’s their own decision. We don’t force anyone to go tothe Games,” he added. Paes, however, remains confident that the Games will go ahead without any security issues. ”I am 100 per cent certain that it will be safe,” he said. ”Anti terrorism security is everywhere in the world, it’s not just in Mumbai because something happened there recently. ”It happens in Australia, New York, Madrid, London and Paris. ”This generation around the world lives under constant threat.
It’s all about how you look at it, security and the way we approach such situations. Once we get our economy doing better I think there will be less terrorism worries around,” he observed.
This year’s Games will be the first time that tennis will be one of the disciplines in the Commonwealth Games and the famed duo of Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi will come together to get India a medal. ”The Commonwealth Games is a great stage for India to perform and for us to get as many medals as we can, especially in tennis, it’s one we count on in the doubles.
”As far as the whole Commonwealth Games go, India has a great opportunity to show the rest of the Commonwealth what a great country India is,” he added.
–Agencies