2010 Commonwealth Games in India
If you’re preparing for Civil Services exams or any competitive exam, this report on 2010 Common Wealth Games can’t be missed.
The Commonwealth Games is a multinational, multi-sport event. Held every four years, it involves the elite athletes of the Commonwealth of Nations. Attendance at the Commonwealth Games is typically around 5,000 athletes. The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) is the organization that is responsible for the direction and control of the Commonwealth Games.
The first such event, then known as the British Empire Games, was held in 1930 in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The name changed to British Empire and Commonwealth Games in 1954, to British Commonwealth Games in 1970 and assumed the current name of the Commonwealth Games in 1978.
As well as many Olympic sports, the Games also include some sports that are played mainly in Commonwealth countries, such as lawn bowls, rugby sevens and netball.
There are currently 53 members of the Commonwealth of Nations, and 71 teams participate in the Games. The four constituent countries of the United Kingdom – England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland – send separate teams to the Commonwealth Games (unlike at the Olympic Games, where the United Kingdom sends a single team), and individual teams are also sent from the British Crown dependencies – Guernsey, Jersey and the Isle of Man – and many of the British overseas territories. The Australian external territory of Norfolk Island also sends its own team, as do the Cook Islands and Niue, two states in free association with New Zealand.
Only six teams have attended every Commonwealth Games: Australia, Canada, England, New Zealand, Scotland and Wales. Australia has been the highest scoring team for ten games, England for seven and Canada for one.
At the 1930 games, women competed in Swimming and Diving only. From 1934, women also competed in some Athletics events.
The next edition is going to held in 2010 in Delhi, India. In 2014 the Games will be held in Glasgow, Scotland.
2010 Commonwealth Games
The 2010 Commonwealth Games are the nineteenth edition of the Commonwealth Games, and the ninth to be held under that name. The Games are scheduled to be held in New Delhi, India between 3 October and 14 October 2010. The games will be the largest multi-sport event conducted to date in Delhi and India generally, which has previously hosted the Asian Games in 1951 and 1982. The opening ceremony is scheduled to take place at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Delhi. It will also be the first time the Commonwealth Games will be held in India and the second time the event has been held in Asia (after 1998).
In addition to the Commonwealth Games, the city of Pune, India hosted the 3rd Commonwealth Youth Games between October 12 and 18, 2008. The Youth Games offered nine sports: athletics, badminton, boxing, shooting, swimming, table tennis, tennis, weightlifting and wrestling.
Benefits:
Infrastructure
Delhi already has many international features of a modern and well-planned city. However, to get ready for the huge influx of tourists visiting Delhi during the Games, the Government of India has taken many steps to improve the city. This includes city beautification, transportation development, upgrading of many old structures etc.
Transport
Delhi proposed a four-lane, 2.2 km underground stretch from Lodhi Road to trans-Yamuna, linking the Games Village to the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium and reducing traveling time for athletes traveling between the Village and the Stadium.
In response to concerns over the large number of trains that pass by the Delhi metropolitan region daily, construction of road under-bridges and over-bridges along railway lines has been started.
To expand road infrastructure, flyovers, cloverleaf flyovers, and bridges have been planned to provide connectivity to the Games Village, to sports venues, to hospitals, and for intra-city connectivity. Road-widening projects have been under process, with an emphasis being placed on expanding national highways. To improve traffic flow on existing road, plans are underway to make both the inner and outer Ring roads signal free.
To support its commitment to mass transport, nine corridors have been identified and are being constructed as High Capacity Bus Systems.
Additionally, the Delhi Metro will be expanded to accommodate more people and boost the use of public transport during the 2010 games. By then it will have the second longest network in the world and later the longest, which will be more than 420 km.
To further support air travel, the Indira Gandhi International Airport is being modernized, expanded, and upgraded. By the 2010 games, a new terminal (Terminal 3) will have been constructed at a cost of nearly US$ 1.94 billion, with the capability to cater to more than 37 million passengers a year by 2010 and the planned expansion program will increase its capacity to handle 100 million passengers by 2030. Terminal 3 will be a two tier building, with the bottom floor being the arrivals area, and the top being a departures area. This terminal will have over 130 check in counters, 55 aerobridges, 30 parking bays, 72 immigration counters, 15 X-ray screening areas, duty free shops, and much more. The airport will also have a new runway to cater more than 75 plus flights an hour; the runway will be more than 4400 meters long and one of Asia’s longest. The entire airport will be connected to the city via a 6 lane highway ( National Highway-8 ) and the Delhi Metro.
Tourism
The true impact of the Commonwealth Games on tourism, scheduled for October 2010, can be judged better if one is to look at the various possibilities for marketing, advertising, educating and introducing a new India for the sportspersons, their entourage and other global visitors to the country. Knowing this definite time frame for the CWG taking place, the tourism and other related ministries get a chance to develop some public-private demonstration projects as a show-case for domestic, regional and international cities. What makes the CWG so important in sporting events and a coup for Indian economy and hospitality sector and its sister branch, tourism segment, is that the Olympic and Commonwealth Games are the second largest sports events held in modern times. Other cities that have hosted the CWG have recorded major spurt in tourism since their chance at this excellent reason for global travelers to come together in a spirit of competition, learning and life experiences while also giving the countries a chance to present a newer, vibrant youth-appeal to their land. The examples for this kind of cultural showcasing and effective gift-wrapping of sectors of interest like tourism-be it adventure, spa or spirituality- can be seen from the earlier hosts of world sporting events: Beijing, China and Barcelona, Spain benefited from hosting the Olympics while Manchester, UK and Melbourne, Australia received greater tourist inflow during and after playing host to CWG 2002 and 2006, respectively.
State-of-art technology deployments will help in ensuring world-class management of Delhi city during the event and also leave a sure, culturally strong imprint as valuable legacy of classy Indian hospitality on visitors to the CWG Delhi, 2010 while major economic boost from the CWG will raise tourism opportunities for our country, if basic amenities and modern tourist needs are kept in mind while formulating and promoting specialized tourism sectors.
The CWG Delhi, 2010 can well prove to be a catalyst for major investment in the country’s sporting, social and environmental fabric since it will effect the tourism sector directly as well as indirectly.
Eco-tourism and total wellness packages including ancient exercise and relaxation, toning, breathing and strengthening routines are likely choices that guarantee global tourist interest and are bound to be crowd-pullers during CWG. While earlier host nations of CWG directed their tourism budget towards raising standards of basic and luxury amenities, including novelty factor for tourists and sportspersons, other areas of redevelopment covered bridge and road links to and from the host city to neighboring regions and specialty tourism spots. These can be developed as mini-villages offering bountiful shopping, eating, local customs, drama and theatre, music, dance and associated learning and living experiences that are essentially Indian, therefore attractive to outsiders. Planting of trees, arranging meetings with trained-up volunteers assisting local community/youth/social service and cultural awareness groups and events and such like are likely to generate almost 13,600 full time equivalent jobs created from the Games. Naturally then, the expected economic return will be higher than before thanks to the impact of the Common Wealth Games on Tourism and the higher number of international tourists.
Other benefits
In addition to physical preparation, India and Delhi will be offering a myriad of amenities to all athletes. These include traditional Commonwealth Games services, such as free accommodation for all athletes, a modern, comfortable Games Village, cutting-edge health facilities, security, a pollution-free environment, entertainment for non-competition times, transportation, and other, unique amenities as well. Delhi will also be offering all athletes a free trip to the famed Taj Mahal and will provide a reserved lane for participants on selected highways.
The Delhi High Court is also set to implement a series of “mobile courts” to be dispatched throughout Delhi to relocate migrant beggars from Delhi streets. The mobile courts would consider each beggar on a case-by-case basis to determine whether the beggar should be sent back to his/her state of residence, or be permitted to remain in government-shelters.
In preparation for a rush of English-speaking tourists for the Games, the Delhi government is implementing a program to teach English to low-income individuals who will have a high-frequency of contact with tourists. This subset includes city cab drivers, waiters, gatemen, and service staff. Over the past two years, the city has successfully taught 2,000 drivers English, and is continuing the program to reach as many as possible before the Games. The city plans to teach 1,000 people English per month, and hopes to reach everyone necessary by March 2009. In addition to Delhi, the Indian Government plans to expand the program to teach people in local tourist destinations, including Agra and Mathura in Uttar Pradesh, Bhopal and Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh, Gaya in Bihar and Puri in Orissa.
October, 2010 will see the Commonwealth Games take place in New Delhi. It surely would be a spectacular event with very grand opening and closing ceremonies and dazzling sporting action . But the big question is whether our country can afford such an extravagant venture and how the event is going to affect the sporting scene of the country.
In 1982, we proudly hosted the Asian Games. The event was considered by many as a huge success. Huge money was spent on sporting infra structure and other facilities. Does the average sporting loving Indian have access to any of those facilities? Have the Sport Authority of India done anything to maximise the utility of the facilities? Did the holding of the events throw up fresh enthusiasm for athletics and other such sporting disciplines?
We have had a few great sporting icons like Milkha Singh, P T Usha, Shiny Abraham Anju Bobby George, Prakash Padukone, Gopichand and more recently Abhinav Bindra and the boxers . All these champions have come through in spite of the system.
Sad to say that Milkha Singh’s record of the1960 still stands for the 400 meters. While World Records are tumbling all the time, Indian athletics records have not changed very much.
Whether Delhi is fit for Commonwealth Games
Delhi, which is to host the games in October, next year, is a complete mess. Almost every major road is dug up or blocked, either for Metro or flyover construction, and others that are not affected by games-related construction can thank substandard material used in road building for giving the entire city a uniform experience. Even calling it a disgrace is an understatement.
And this is just the roads and other networks that are basically required to get to the venues where the events would take place, but what about the venues themselves? By all available reports (CGF says 13 of 19 venues are between 30% and 50% behind schedule), they are so far behind schedule that some of them may be a disaster in the making if rushed through.
A lot of people have argued that it was the same in 1982, prior to the Asian Games, but things still turned out remarkably well. Because there was a gentleman called Rajiv Gandhi, who had involved himself fully in the project and the famous Indian babudom and red tape was made ineffective. And in the 27 years since then, our love for mediocrity, and corruption, has only increased, so the quality of these structures being created is best left unsaid.
And in the 27 years since then, our love for mediocrity, and corruption, has only increased, so the quality of these structures built for Asian games being is best left unsaid.
Commonwealth Games: Is it poised to take off in time?
Commonwealth officials are panicking over the slow pace of work and wondering aloud whether the games will take off. A smug Indian official in charge says there is nothing to worry about. All will be fine, he says, and the games will be among the finest ever. The subtext of his message: this is the Indian way of doing things, silly. The stadiums will be eventually built, and we will have a jolly good Games. We are like this only. And sab chalta hain (everything goes), another of our favourite alibis.
But this time the bluff may be called sooner. There is little doubt that India has approached its first major international sports event in nearly three decades with characteristic lack of planning. A report by the federal government’s own auditing arm says work on 13 of the 19 sports venues is behind schedule. There aren’t enough hotel rooms yet to house guests – another government estimate reckon that only 35% of the additional hotel rooms planned for the games will be completed in time. Commonwealth Games Federation chief Mike Fennell is skittish: he wants to meet the PM now for an assurance that the games will held in time. In an internal note, the Commonwealth Games Association of Canada says in desperation: “Verbal assurances [from Indian officials] are no longer sufficient.” A telling comment comes from a foreign engineer who is working at an unfinished stadium site. “The people over here are very careless and the mentality is very lazy,” he says. “If one person works, the other five want to just stand around him and watch. They all waste time.”
The games village is being built on a controversial environmentally sensitive site – the banks of a dying river which skirts the capital. The less said about the infrastructure, the better. The games, according to its website, will leave behind “a city much more beautiful and charming that it currently is”. It talks about how a colonial city centre has been “given a new façade and is experiencing a resurgence”, and how the city’s monuments are being “cleaned and revitalized”.
But the facts are that if it rains during the event, Delhi’s roads will overflow with water and sewage or cave in. If there is a gale, electricity lines will snap, trees will fall and block the roads, and roofs will fly. The organisers must have been delusional to award the games to a city with such utterly shambolic infrastructure. Also, since there will be no separate lanes for the venues-bound traffic, I see huge gridlocks, and traffic being stopped to let the games traffic pass. Slums are expected to fenced off with bamboo, and beggars are to be rounded up. The 12-day, 17-discipline sporting event is all set to become the biggest nightmare for Delhi’s denizens.
Already workers have died at the construction sites, and human rights groups are up in arms about how workers at venues are being underpaid and have flimsy security. I spotted a picture where women workers wore tatty rubber sandals at a site where the signage indicates they should be wearing boots. It’s the same old story – apart from a few shining exceptions like the Delhi Metro- of brazen disregard for basic safety norms, woeful planning and exploitative contractors. And we have revulsion for real change. We remember how an indoor stadium roof leaked in the monsoon rains and players quit wet tables when the world table tennis championship opened in Calcutta decades ago. We remember how we sat on drying paint at an upgraded cricket stadium and endured its stinking, overflowing rest rooms to watch an international game.
The Queen’s Baton
The Queen’s Baton received a grand welcome on entering India from Pakistan, through the Attari-Wagah border, on 25.06.2010 marking the 100-day countdown to the Commonwealth Games, 2010 in Delhi.
Pakistan Olympic Association president Syed Arif Hassan handed over the baton to Indian counterpart and Commonwealth Games organising committee (OC) chairman Suresh Kalmadi, as thousands of people on both sides of the border celebrated the occasion with great fanfare.
The celebration began with school children from either side exchanging messages of peace through an initiative named Aman ki Asha.
Folk artistes from Punjab, Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh performed to set the mood for the occasion, while Amritsar’s famous Wadali brothers and well-known Pakistani vocalist Rahat Fateh Ali Khan enthralled the audience with their soulful renderings to celebrate the arrival of the Queen’s baton to the host country.
Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) president Mike Fennell’s support came as a boost for Mr. Kalmadi and company, as the OC has been racing against time to put everything in place for the Games. “The OC is working day and night to make the Commonwealth Games a good celebration,” Mr. Fennell said.
The dignitaries present at the event included Punjab Governor Shivraj Patil, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, Union Minister of State for External Affairs Preneet Kaur, Union Minister of State for Communications and Information Technology Gurudas Kamat, Union Sports Ministry secretary Sindhushree Khullar and Pakistan’s Punjab province Governor Salmaan Taseer.
Spontaneous cheering erupted when Olympic bronze winning boxer Vijender Singh and four-time world champion boxer M.C. Mary Kom started a joint-relay with the baton.
The baton, which has toured 69 Commonwealth nations so far, was taken out in procession to the Golden Temple and Durgiana temple before being kept at the Company Bagh in Amritsar for public display.
The baton, accompanied by a battery of 80 people, will cover 20,000 km during its relay through 28 States and seven Union Territories before reaching Delhi on September 30, 2010. The journey will culminate with the baton entering the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, venue of the Games’ opening ceremony, on October 3, 2010.
By the time it arrives at the opening ceremony, it would have travelled more than 1,90,000 km over 340 days, making it one of the longest relays in the history of the Games.
Street lighting fraud: CBI registers first case of corruption
The CBI, on 2.08.2010, has registered the first case of corruption relating to Commonwealth Games (CWG), against five MCD officials and the managing director of a private firm for causing a loss of Rs 3.62 crore to the government. The charges include corruption, misuse of official position, manipulation of tender documents and inflating costs in an Rs 345 crore projects for upgrading streetlights along 101.56 km of Delhi’s roads ahead of the Commonwealth Games. The FIR was lodged at the behest of the Central Vigilance Commission, which has found irregularities in 15 Games-related projects.
On February 12, 2010, the CVC asked the CBI to investigate the case after its Chief Technical Examiner’s (CTE) wing found large-scale manipulations and tampering of bid documents to favour a Delhi-based firm, M/s Sweka Engineering Works Pvt Ltd. The CVC, which probed the case in October 2009, concluded that the MCD officials colluded with the private firm and caused a loss of Rs 3.62 crore to the government.
It was also found that the rates of some items and discounts offered by the firm were tampered with in the documents after the bids were opened, either by canceling by hand or by overwriting.
After preliminary inquiries, the CBI has booked the firm’s managing director T. P. Singh, and five MCD officials — D. K. Shagun and O. P. Mahla (both superintending engineers) and other officials including Pradeep Rawat, Rajiv V, Gurcharan Singh and Bharat Singh. “The loss to the government could be even higher than it seems now,” a government source said.
Medals for 2010 Commonwealth Games unveiled – 9.08.2010
The Organising Committee of the 2010 Commonwealth Games 9.08.2010 unveiled the victory medals for XIX Commonwealth Games 2010 Delhi. The medals for Delhi 2010 are a product of excellence and reflect the spirit of the Commonwealth Games 2010 Delhi, a testament to brilliance and success of the athletes.
The medal design is clean and simple and the dominant form that gives it dynamism is a rising upward spiral that starts taking shape from the plain textured base, gradually becoming the highlight of the medal. The front of the medal has the Commonwealth Games 2010 Delhi logo and dates. The back has the emblem of the Commonwealth Games Federation.
The medal is 6 mm thick with a diameter of 63.5 mm. The signature element’s starting fin is raised by 1 mm and it rises up to 3 mm on the last fin. The embossed logo and date is raised by 1mm.
OC CWG Delhi 2010 has ordered a total of 1,408 medals, which includes multiple medals for team events. The cost of producing each gold medal is Rs 5,539, while every silver medal costs Rs 4,818 and a bronze medal Rs 4,529. The total cost of producing these medals is Rs 81, 08,566 including the price of the boxes and lanyards.
Two injured as armed men attack foreign tourists in Delhi – 19.09.2010
Two armed men on a motorcycle opened indiscriminate fire outside the historic Jama Masjid in the Walled City of Delhi on 19.09.2010 morning, injuring two Taiwanese nationals who were about to board a tourist bus. A red alert has been sounded as the attack comes barely two weeks ahead of the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi. Just a few hours after the incident there was another security scare as a Maruti 800 car went up in flames about 100 metres from the ancient mosque. The attack took place outside Gate No. 3 of the mosque.
Though an e-mail, purportedly sent by the Indian Mujahideen to a radio station, claimed responsibility for the incident, the police have ruled out the involvement of any organised terror group.
The injured — Zewei (40) and Chiang (38) — were taken to the Lok Nayak Jaya Prakash Narayan Hospital and are said to be out of danger.
E-mail warns against hosting Commonwealth Games
Hours after the firing on a group of foreign nationals outside the Jama Masjid in the Walled City of Delhi on 19.09.2010, an e-mail purportedly sent by the Indian Mujahideen claimed responsibility for the attack and warned the government against hosting of the Commonwealth Games.
“We know that preparations for the Games are at their peak. Beware! We too are preparing in full swing for a great surprise! The participants will be solely responsible for the outcome as our bands of Mujahideen love death more than you love life,” said the e-mail. It also refers to the Batla House encounter in South Delhi on this day two years ago. “We dedicate this attack of retribution to martyrs Shaheed Atif Amin and Shaheed Muhammad Sajid, who proudly laid down their lives valiantly fighting..,” the e-mail read.
Footbridge collapses near Delhi stadium – 21.09.2010
In a huge setback to the organisers of the Commonwealth Games, a footbridge under construction near the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, main venue of the Games, collapsed on 21.09.2010, injuring 27 labourers.
The bridge, which collapsed around 3.15 p.m., on 21.09.2010 was meant to link the parking lot for the spectators. The structure was to be supported by clips (pins) attached at the end of the suspenders dangling from an arch.
Of the 27 injured, four have been admitted to the Safdarjung Hospital and 23 treated at the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences. Five of them are said to be in a serious condition. The Delhi government has slapped a black-listing notice on the contractor.
Tiles on false ceiling collapse in weightlifting arena – 22.10.2010
Trying to dispel the gloom surrounding the preparedness for the Commonwealth Games, Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on 22.09.2010 admitted that “minor hitches and glitches” were there but the international event was not collapsing.
Her appeal came even as nine tiles, measuring 2X2ft, on the false ceiling in the weightlifting arena of the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium Complex collapsed in the morning of 22.09.2010. No one was injured. Sources at the stadium said it was a minor mishap and must have occurred when maintenance staffs were carrying out last-minute checks.
During her interaction with the press, several issues were raised, apart from the crashing down of a portion of the false ceiling in the weightlifting arena: the firing near the Jama Masjid, the collapse of a foot bridge near the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium and complaints by delegates of unhygienic conditions at the Games Village.
Meanwhile, security forces took over all Games-related venues. The lockdown will be followed by a massive sanitisation exercise during which Delhi Police personnel, in coordination with agencies such as the National Security Guard, will carry out anti-sabotage checks. Bomb squads and sniffer dogs will be used for combing and screening operations.
More athletes pull out of Commonwealth Games
World women’s discus champion Dani Samuels has joined a long list of top athletes who have pulled out of the Commonwealth Games.
The star Australian confirmed on 21.09.2010 that she would not travel to India due to “health and security” reasons. Her absence clears the way for India’s Krishna Poonia for a possible gold medal in this event.
Samuels’ announcement came before England’s world triple jump champion Phillips Idowu and Olympic women’s 400 metres champion Christine Ohuruogu announced their decision to stay away from the Games.
Kenyan Olympic 1500m champion Asbel Kiprop also announced that he would not be coming.
The Games had been hit much earlier by the withdrawal of Olympic and world champion sprinter Usain Bolt from Jamaica, triple gold medallist swimmer Stephanie Rice from Australia, defending champion in 100m Asafa Powell from Jamaica and England’s tennis attraction Andy Murray.
Two ace Kenyan athletes who withdrew on account of fatigue were 800m world record holder David Rudisha and 5000m Olympic bronze medallist Edwin Soi.
Injuries had accounted for the withdrawal of 10000m world champion Linet Masai of Kenya and Lisa Dobriskey of England, defending champion in the 1500 metres.
Much sheen lost due to high-profile withdrawals
It is hard to gauge the impact of the blow dealt to the profile of this edition of the Commonwealth Games by the decisions of several leading sportspersons to stay away.
The latest additions to the long list of pullouts are women’s discus World champion Australia’s Dani Samuels and World triple jump champion England’s Phillips Idowu. Dani withdrew due to health and security concerns while Idowu considered India unsafe to travel.
Recently, top Australian biker Richie Porte, known for his exploits in road races too, was made to miss the Games after being denied permission owing to Australia’s international Pro-Tour commitments.
Much sheen has already been taken away from these Games in the absence of Olympic and World champion Usain Bolt, defending 100m title-holder Asafa Powell on the track, triple Olympic gold medallist Stephanie Rice in the pool and Andy Murray from the tennis court.
Athletics has lost at least 10 major stars. The main reason for the withdrawals in track and field is due to the fact that the Games are being held after the end of the season.
Jamaican sprint giants Bolt and Powell, 800m world record holder Kenyan David Rudisha and Olympic 5000m bronze medallist Edwin Soi have opted out due to fatigue.
A host of athletes were forced to skip the quadrennial event because of injury. They are 1,500m Olympic gold winner Kenya’s Asbel Kiprop, women’s 400m Olympic gold medallist and defending 400m champion England’s Christine Ohuruogu, former women’s 1,500m World title holder and a gold winner in the Melbourne Games Lisa Dobrisky besides World champion in 10,000m, Kenya’s Linet Masai.
Stephanie Rice’s pullout was a shocker for the organisers. The Aussie swimming star, the 400m individual medley world record holder, withdrew from the Games after she decided to go under the knife to fix her troubled right shoulder.
Tennis, which makes its debut in the Games, has already lost World No. 4 and Australian Open runner-up Andy Murray, former World No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt, World No. 18 Marcos Baghdatis and women’s World No. 7 Samantha Stosur.
In cycling, British track star Sir Chris Hoy would be hugely missed. He chose to take part in the European championship instead of the Games since both the events were scheduled at the same time.
Another star pullout was seen in Rugby 7s, following top Kiwi player Adam Thomson’s decision to stay away due to a knee injury.
Australia committed to participation – 23.09.2010
Even as some participating nations adopted a “wait and watch” policy, Australia committed itself to participation in the Commonwealth Games to be held here from October 3 to 14.
Australian Commonwealth Games Association Chief Executive Perry Crosswhite and the country’s sports minister Mark Arbib have given a boost to the sagging spirits of the Organising Committee (OC). “The Australian government is committed and our number-one priority is the safety of our athletes, and those people travelling to India,” Mr. Arbib told Australian radio, according to an OC.
Commonwealth Games 2010: events schedule
Oct 3, 2010
Commonwealth Games: the Opening Ceremony – Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium
Oct 4-8, 2010
Artistic Gymnastics: (IG Sports Complex)
Oct 4-9, 2010
Swimming (Dr SPM Swimming Complex)
Oct 4-10, 2010
Archery (Yamuna Sports Complex/India Gate), Tennis (RK Khanna Tennis Stadium)
Oct 4-12, 2010
Weightlifting (JN Sports Complex)
Oct 4-12,14, 2010
Netball (Thyagaraj Sports Complex)
Oct 4-13, 2010
Bowls (JN Sports Complex)
Oct 4-14, 2010
Badminton (Siri Fort Sports Complex), Hockey (Maj. Dhyan Chand National Stadium), Squash (Siri Fort Sports Complex), Table Tennis (Yamuna Sports Complex).
Oct 5-8, 2010
Track Cycling (G Sports Complex)
Oct 5-10, 2010
Wrestling (IG Sports Complex)
Oct 5-11, 13, 2010
Boxing (Talkatora Indoor Stadium), Shooting pistol & small bore (Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range).
Oct 6-12, 2010
Athletics track and field (Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium)
Oct 6-13, 2010
Shooting clay target (Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range)
Oct 7, 2010
Synchronised swimming (Dr SPM Swimming Complex)
Oct 9, 2010
Athletics 20m walk (India Gate)
Oct 9-13, 2010
Shooting full bore (CRPF Campus, Kadarpur)
Oct 10, 2010
Road Cycling, mass start (India Gate)
Oct 11-12, 2010
Rugby Union sevens (Delhi University)
Oct 12-14, 2010
Rhythmic Gymnastics (IG Sports Complex)
Oct 13, 2010
Diving (Dr SPM Swimming Complex), Cycling Time Trials (Noida Highway Express Road)
Oct 14, 2010
Athletics Marathon (Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium/marathon course), closing ceremony (Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium)
Commonwealth Games 2010: venue guide
Jawaharlal Nehru Sports Complex
Athletics, lawn bowls, weightlifting
The 60,000-seater complex, named after the first Prime Minister of India, was the main venue for the IX Asian Games in 1982. It will host the Opening and Closing Ceremonies for the 2010 Commonwealth Games.
A footbridge under construction for the Commonwealth Games near to the main Nehru stadium in New Delhi collapsed 11 days before the Games were due to begin, injuring 23 people. A false ceiling at the weightlifting venue then collapsed 24 hours later. The lawn bowls venue has, as yet, been safe from harm.
Delhi University
Rugby Sevens
The updated stadium has auto-sprinkling technology, underground drainage, an ozone system for air-freshening, a low power consuming air-conditioning system and lush natural grass.
The 10,000-seater, will also serve as the training venue for Netball, Boxing, Women’s Wrestling and Athletics during the Games.
CRPF and Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Range, Kadarpur
Only seats 345 but perhaps should be catering for more considering Abhinav Bindra, who won India’s first individual Olympic gold in 2008, will be competing. Lucky then that’s at the CRPF range while the Dr Singh venue can house up to 1,000 spectators. The venue survived heavy monsoon rains in July.
Thyagaraj Sports Complex
Netball
Named after an 18th-century south Indian poet-composer, the Thyagaraj is India’s first-ever model Green Venue built with the latest green technologies. Maybe Delhi’s embattled Games organisers could come here to find peace if things get more pear-shaped during the Games.
Indira Gandhi Sports Complex
Gymnastics, cycling, wrestling
Located on the western bank of Yamuna River, it was built in the 1982 and is the largest indoor stadium in India. The velodrome was completed in June and has been adjudged as being second in quality only to the one used during the Beijing Olympics by the International Cycling Federation.
Dr. S.P. Mukherjee Swimming Stadium
The 5,000-seater venue flooded during the Delhi monsoons and has been in the spotlight after a swimmer was injured because of a loose tile. Technical flaws were seen in the pool structure and there was no lift built for the divers to reach the high board. The staircases leading to the top are cramped, while the ceiling at the warm-up area was deemed too low. The changing rooms were also seen as too small. The complex is located on the ridge forest area of Central Delhi and care has been taken so as to save a large number of trees in the area.
Talkatora Indoor Stadium
Boxing
Opened in February, the 3,035-seater stadium has one competition ring and four warm-up areas.
Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium
Hockey
Built to host the first Asian Games in 1951, the stadium is often referred as “the temple of Indian Hockey”. Named after the legendary hockey player and Olympian Major Dhyan Chand, the stadium hosted this year’s World Cup and boasts two brand new synthetic hockey turfs. It has a 20,000 capacity and with India’s penchant for hockey will be one of the more boisterous venues during the Games.
Siri Fort Sports Complex
Badminton, squash
Hosting the two racket sports, the squash arena has 11 singles courts that can convert into five doubles courts and one show court, while the badminton stadium houses five match courts and three practice courts. The ‘green’ aspects range from rainwater harvesting, solar-powered heating, re-use of treated water for horticulture, and double-glazed windows.
R.K. Khanna Tennis Complex
For the first time, tennis has been introduced as a medal sport in the Commonwealth Games. The complex has been a tennis facility since 1970 and also hosted tennis events for 1982 Asian Games. Seats 5,000.
Yamuna Sports Complex
Table tennis, Archery
Located in East Delhi, the foundation stone of this complex was laid by Late Mr. Rajiv Gandhi, former Prime Minister of India, in 1989. The complex offers facilities for multiple sports for East and North-East Delhi. The Archery stadium has semi-circular building with tensile fabric roofing.
President Patil to inaugurate Games, denying Britain royalty their traditional honour
President Pratibha Devisingh Patil will declare the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games open,
denying the British royal family the traditional honour for the first time in the Games history.
The Indian Government and Clarence House appeared to be at loggerheads over whether Prince Charles will be asked to declare the 2010 Games open.
Senior Indian Government aides claimed that President Patil and not Charles would officially declare the Games open on 3.10.2010.
Rousing welcome for Queen’s Baton in New Delhi – 1.10.2010
After traversing 1,90,000 km across the world — 20,000 km of it through the Indian territory — the Queen’s Baton Relay for the XIX Commonwealth Games reached the host city New Delhi on 30.09.2010 afternoon.
Olympian and Dronacharya awardee Satpal Singh ran in with the gold-plated baton into the Organising Committee headquarters at Jantar Mantar and handed it over to Delhi Lieutenant-Governor Tejendra Khanna, who in turn passed it on to Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit. Organising Committee Chairman Suresh Kalmadi received the baton from Ms. Dikshit. Light-emitting diodes embedded on the baton lighted up in the pattern of the Indian tricolour.
Worldwide journey
The baton entered the Capital from Haryana on 30.09.2010 morning. It started its worldwide journey on October 29, 2009, when Queen Elizabeth II handed it over to President Pratibha Patil in London. It reached India from Pakistan through the Wagah border on June 25, 2010.
On 1.10.2010, the baton will be taken to important landmarks such as Vijay Chowk, India Gate, Teen Murti Bhavan, Qutub Minar and Lotus Temple. On 2.10.2010, it will make stops at Gurdwara Rakabganj, St. Columba’s Cathedral and the Games Village.
The baton will culminate its journey at the Opening Ceremony at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on 3.10.2010. The honour of carrying the baton on its last lap into the stadium has been bestowed upon Olympic gold medalist Abhinav Bindra.
President Patil declares the Commonwealth Games open – 03.10.2010
The 19th Commonwealth Games were jointly declared open by Prince Charles and President of India Pratibha Patil on 3.10.2010 at the Jawahar Lal Nehru stadium, the main venue for the Commonwealth Games in Delhi.
Here’s the complete text of President Patil’s speech:
Sport, has always been, a powerful bridge, across cultures and people. At the 19th Commonwealth Games 2010 Delhi, we shall see this come true, one more time. We will witness, the power of sport, to bring together, athletes from the nations and territories of the Commonwealth, bound together, by a commonality of purpose.
Over the next 11 days, thousands of athletes will take part, in intense competition, across different sports and para-sport disciplines. We will see, a variety of emotions unfold, when the competitions begin. And we will experience much of it, ourselves.
More than anything else, we will see human endeavour, at its best. Each athlete will strive to give his or her best. Such determined effort, will offer those watching the Games, a great opportunity, to imbibe lessons that will enable them enhance the quality of their pursuits.
Sports is a microcosm of life. Those watching sports persons pursue their dreams, will get to see, how to perform under enormous stress, and, to deal with success and failure. Let me wish the athletes, the very best in their dedicated pursuit of excellence.
To our friends from other countries, let me say: India is a diverse and beautiful nation, with a rich heritage and culture. I am sure you will experience it in all its hues and cherish it. To my fellow Indians, I would like to say: let us use this opportunity, to showcase our legendary hospitality, while we enjoy the celebration of sport in our country.
The Commonwealth Games 2010 Delhi are now open.
Let the Games begin.
This is how the medals tally on 14.10.2010, the final day
Indian Gold Medal winners in XIXth Commonwealth Games 2010
1. Abhinav Bindra and Gagan Narang – Men’s 10m Air Rifle (Pairs)Shooting
2. Rani Sarnobat and Anisa Sayyed- Women’s 25m Pistol (Pairs) Shooting
3. Ravinder Singh – Men’s 60kg – Repechage Wrestling-Greco-Roman
4. Sanjay Kumar Men’s 74kg – Repechage Wrestling-Greco-Roman
5. Anil Kumar Men’s 96kg – Repechage Wrestling-Greco-Roman
6. Gagan Narang- Men’s 10m Air Rifle Shooting
7. Anisa Sayyed- Women’s 25m Pistol Shooting
8. Omkar Singh- Men’s 50m Pistol Shooting
9. Renu Bala Chanu Yumnam – Women’s 58kg Category Weightlifting
10. Ravi Kumar Katulu- Men’s 69kg Category Weightlifting
11. Rajender Kumar – Men’s 55kg – Repechage Wrestling-Greco-Roman
12.Omkar Singh and Gurpreet Singh – Men’s 10m Air Pistol (Pairs) Shooting
13 Gurpreet Singh and Vijay Kumar- Men’s 25m Rapid Fire Pistol (Pairs) Shooting
14. Geeta Rani – Women’s 55kg – Repechage Wrestling-Freestyle
15. Dola Banerjee, Deepika Kumar and Bombayala Laishram- Women’s Recurve – Team Archery
16. Gagan Narang and Imran Hassan Khan- Men’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions (Pairs) Shooting
17. Omkar Singh – Men’s 10m Air Pistol Shooting
18. Vijay Kumar – Men’s 25m Rapid Fire Pistol Shooting
19. Alka Tomar- Women’s 59kg – Repechage Wrestling-Freestyle
20. Anita Kumari Women’s 67kg – Repechage Wrestling-Freestyle
21. Vijay Kumar and Harpreet Singh- Men’s 25m Centrefire Pistol (Pairs) Shooting
22. Gagan Narang- Men’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions Shooting
23. Yogeshwar Dutt- Men’s 60kg – Repechage Wrestling-Freestyle
24. Narsingh Panch Yadav- Men’s 74kg – Repechage Wrestling-Freestyle
25. Deepika Kumari- Women’s Recurve – Individual Archery
26. Rahul Banerjee- Men’s Recurve – Individual Gold Medal Match Archery
27. Harpreet Singh- Men’s 25m Centrefire Pistol (Singles) Shooting
28. Somdev Devvarman- Men’s Singles – Gold Medal Match Tennis
29. Sushil Kunar- Men’s 66kg – Repechage Wrestling-Freestyle
30. Krishna Poonia – Discus throw (women)
31. Heena Sindhu and Anuraj Singh – Women’s pairs 10m air pistol event
32. Suranjoy Mayengbam – Fly Weight 52kg Boxing event
33. Manoj Kumar – Light Welter Weight 64kg Boxing event
34. Paramjeet Samota – Super Heavy Weight +91kg Boxing event
35. Manjeet Kaur, Sini Jose, Ashwini Chidananda Akkunji and Mandeep Kaur – Women’s 4 x 400m Relay
36. Sharath Kamal and Subhajit Saha – Table Tennis men’s doubles final
37. Ashwini Ponnappa and Jwala Gutta – Badminton doubles
38. Saina Nehwal – Badminton Singles
The Commonwealth Games is a multinational, multi-sport event. Held every four years, it involves the elite athletes of the Commonwealth of Nations. Attendance at the Commonwealth Games is typically around 5,000 athletes. The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) is the organization that is responsible for the direction and control of the Commonwealth Games.
The first such event, then known as the British Empire Games, was held in 1930 in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The name changed to British Empire and Commonwealth Games in 1954, to British Commonwealth Games in 1970 and assumed the current name of the Commonwealth Games in 1978.
As well as many Olympic sports, the Games also include some sports that are played mainly in Commonwealth countries, such as lawn bowls, rugby sevens and netball.
There are currently 53 members of the Commonwealth of Nations, and 71 teams participate in the Games. The four constituent countries of the United Kingdom – England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland – send separate teams to the Commonwealth Games (unlike at the Olympic Games, where the United Kingdom sends a single team), and individual teams are also sent from the British Crown dependencies – Guernsey, Jersey and the Isle of Man – and many of the British overseas territories. The Australian external territory of Norfolk Island also sends its own team, as do the Cook Islands and Niue, two states in free association with New Zealand.
Only six teams have attended every Commonwealth Games: Australia, Canada, England, New Zealand, Scotland and Wales. Australia has been the highest scoring team for ten games, England for seven and Canada for one.
At the 1930 games, women competed in Swimming and Diving only. From 1934, women also competed in some Athletics events.
The next edition is going to held in 2010 in Delhi, India. In 2014 the Games will be held in Glasgow, Scotland.
2010 Commonwealth Games
The 2010 Commonwealth Games are the nineteenth edition of the Commonwealth Games, and the ninth to be held under that name. The Games are scheduled to be held in New Delhi, India between 3 October and 14 October 2010. The games will be the largest multi-sport event conducted to date in Delhi and India generally, which has previously hosted the Asian Games in 1951 and 1982. The opening ceremony is scheduled to take place at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Delhi. It will also be the first time the Commonwealth Games will be held in India and the second time the event has been held in Asia (after 1998).
In addition to the Commonwealth Games, the city of Pune, India hosted the 3rd Commonwealth Youth Games between October 12 and 18, 2008. The Youth Games offered nine sports: athletics, badminton, boxing, shooting, swimming, table tennis, tennis, weightlifting and wrestling.
Benefits:
Infrastructure
Delhi already has many international features of a modern and well-planned city. However, to get ready for the huge influx of tourists visiting Delhi during the Games, the Government of India has taken many steps to improve the city. This includes city beautification, transportation development, upgrading of many old structures etc.
Transport
Delhi proposed a four-lane, 2.2 km underground stretch from Lodhi Road to trans-Yamuna, linking the Games Village to the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium and reducing traveling time for athletes traveling between the Village and the Stadium.
In response to concerns over the large number of trains that pass by the Delhi metropolitan region daily, construction of road under-bridges and over-bridges along railway lines has been started.
To expand road infrastructure, flyovers, cloverleaf flyovers, and bridges have been planned to provide connectivity to the Games Village, to sports venues, to hospitals, and for intra-city connectivity. Road-widening projects have been under process, with an emphasis being placed on expanding national highways. To improve traffic flow on existing road, plans are underway to make both the inner and outer Ring roads signal free.
To support its commitment to mass transport, nine corridors have been identified and are being constructed as High Capacity Bus Systems.
Additionally, the Delhi Metro will be expanded to accommodate more people and boost the use of public transport during the 2010 games. By then it will have the second longest network in the world and later the longest, which will be more than 420 km.
To further support air travel, the Indira Gandhi International Airport is being modernized, expanded, and upgraded. By the 2010 games, a new terminal (Terminal 3) will have been constructed at a cost of nearly US$ 1.94 billion, with the capability to cater to more than 37 million passengers a year by 2010 and the planned expansion program will increase its capacity to handle 100 million passengers by 2030. Terminal 3 will be a two tier building, with the bottom floor being the arrivals area, and the top being a departures area. This terminal will have over 130 check in counters, 55 aerobridges, 30 parking bays, 72 immigration counters, 15 X-ray screening areas, duty free shops, and much more. The airport will also have a new runway to cater more than 75 plus flights an hour; the runway will be more than 4400 meters long and one of Asia’s longest. The entire airport will be connected to the city via a 6 lane highway ( National Highway-8 ) and the Delhi Metro.
Tourism
The true impact of the Commonwealth Games on tourism, scheduled for October 2010, can be judged better if one is to look at the various possibilities for marketing, advertising, educating and introducing a new India for the sportspersons, their entourage and other global visitors to the country. Knowing this definite time frame for the CWG taking place, the tourism and other related ministries get a chance to develop some public-private demonstration projects as a show-case for domestic, regional and international cities. What makes the CWG so important in sporting events and a coup for Indian economy and hospitality sector and its sister branch, tourism segment, is that the Olympic and Commonwealth Games are the second largest sports events held in modern times. Other cities that have hosted the CWG have recorded major spurt in tourism since their chance at this excellent reason for global travelers to come together in a spirit of competition, learning and life experiences while also giving the countries a chance to present a newer, vibrant youth-appeal to their land. The examples for this kind of cultural showcasing and effective gift-wrapping of sectors of interest like tourism-be it adventure, spa or spirituality- can be seen from the earlier hosts of world sporting events: Beijing, China and Barcelona, Spain benefited from hosting the Olympics while Manchester, UK and Melbourne, Australia received greater tourist inflow during and after playing host to CWG 2002 and 2006, respectively.
State-of-art technology deployments will help in ensuring world-class management of Delhi city during the event and also leave a sure, culturally strong imprint as valuable legacy of classy Indian hospitality on visitors to the CWG Delhi, 2010 while major economic boost from the CWG will raise tourism opportunities for our country, if basic amenities and modern tourist needs are kept in mind while formulating and promoting specialized tourism sectors.
The CWG Delhi, 2010 can well prove to be a catalyst for major investment in the country’s sporting, social and environmental fabric since it will effect the tourism sector directly as well as indirectly.
Eco-tourism and total wellness packages including ancient exercise and relaxation, toning, breathing and strengthening routines are likely choices that guarantee global tourist interest and are bound to be crowd-pullers during CWG. While earlier host nations of CWG directed their tourism budget towards raising standards of basic and luxury amenities, including novelty factor for tourists and sportspersons, other areas of redevelopment covered bridge and road links to and from the host city to neighboring regions and specialty tourism spots. These can be developed as mini-villages offering bountiful shopping, eating, local customs, drama and theatre, music, dance and associated learning and living experiences that are essentially Indian, therefore attractive to outsiders. Planting of trees, arranging meetings with trained-up volunteers assisting local community/youth/social service and cultural awareness groups and events and such like are likely to generate almost 13,600 full time equivalent jobs created from the Games. Naturally then, the expected economic return will be higher than before thanks to the impact of the Common Wealth Games on Tourism and the higher number of international tourists.
Other benefits
In addition to physical preparation, India and Delhi will be offering a myriad of amenities to all athletes. These include traditional Commonwealth Games services, such as free accommodation for all athletes, a modern, comfortable Games Village, cutting-edge health facilities, security, a pollution-free environment, entertainment for non-competition times, transportation, and other, unique amenities as well. Delhi will also be offering all athletes a free trip to the famed Taj Mahal and will provide a reserved lane for participants on selected highways.
The Delhi High Court is also set to implement a series of “mobile courts” to be dispatched throughout Delhi to relocate migrant beggars from Delhi streets. The mobile courts would consider each beggar on a case-by-case basis to determine whether the beggar should be sent back to his/her state of residence, or be permitted to remain in government-shelters.
In preparation for a rush of English-speaking tourists for the Games, the Delhi government is implementing a program to teach English to low-income individuals who will have a high-frequency of contact with tourists. This subset includes city cab drivers, waiters, gatemen, and service staff. Over the past two years, the city has successfully taught 2,000 drivers English, and is continuing the program to reach as many as possible before the Games. The city plans to teach 1,000 people English per month, and hopes to reach everyone necessary by March 2009. In addition to Delhi, the Indian Government plans to expand the program to teach people in local tourist destinations, including Agra and Mathura in Uttar Pradesh, Bhopal and Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh, Gaya in Bihar and Puri in Orissa.
October, 2010 will see the Commonwealth Games take place in New Delhi. It surely would be a spectacular event with very grand opening and closing ceremonies and dazzling sporting action . But the big question is whether our country can afford such an extravagant venture and how the event is going to affect the sporting scene of the country.
In 1982, we proudly hosted the Asian Games. The event was considered by many as a huge success. Huge money was spent on sporting infra structure and other facilities. Does the average sporting loving Indian have access to any of those facilities? Have the Sport Authority of India done anything to maximise the utility of the facilities? Did the holding of the events throw up fresh enthusiasm for athletics and other such sporting disciplines?
We have had a few great sporting icons like Milkha Singh, P T Usha, Shiny Abraham Anju Bobby George, Prakash Padukone, Gopichand and more recently Abhinav Bindra and the boxers . All these champions have come through in spite of the system.
Sad to say that Milkha Singh’s record of the1960 still stands for the 400 meters. While World Records are tumbling all the time, Indian athletics records have not changed very much.
Whether Delhi is fit for Commonwealth Games
Delhi, which is to host the games in October, next year, is a complete mess. Almost every major road is dug up or blocked, either for Metro or flyover construction, and others that are not affected by games-related construction can thank substandard material used in road building for giving the entire city a uniform experience. Even calling it a disgrace is an understatement.
And this is just the roads and other networks that are basically required to get to the venues where the events would take place, but what about the venues themselves? By all available reports (CGF says 13 of 19 venues are between 30% and 50% behind schedule), they are so far behind schedule that some of them may be a disaster in the making if rushed through.
A lot of people have argued that it was the same in 1982, prior to the Asian Games, but things still turned out remarkably well. Because there was a gentleman called Rajiv Gandhi, who had involved himself fully in the project and the famous Indian babudom and red tape was made ineffective. And in the 27 years since then, our love for mediocrity, and corruption, has only increased, so the quality of these structures being created is best left unsaid.
And in the 27 years since then, our love for mediocrity, and corruption, has only increased, so the quality of these structures built for Asian games being is best left unsaid.
Commonwealth Games: Is it poised to take off in time?
Commonwealth officials are panicking over the slow pace of work and wondering aloud whether the games will take off. A smug Indian official in charge says there is nothing to worry about. All will be fine, he says, and the games will be among the finest ever. The subtext of his message: this is the Indian way of doing things, silly. The stadiums will be eventually built, and we will have a jolly good Games. We are like this only. And sab chalta hain (everything goes), another of our favourite alibis.
But this time the bluff may be called sooner. There is little doubt that India has approached its first major international sports event in nearly three decades with characteristic lack of planning. A report by the federal government’s own auditing arm says work on 13 of the 19 sports venues is behind schedule. There aren’t enough hotel rooms yet to house guests – another government estimate reckon that only 35% of the additional hotel rooms planned for the games will be completed in time. Commonwealth Games Federation chief Mike Fennell is skittish: he wants to meet the PM now for an assurance that the games will held in time. In an internal note, the Commonwealth Games Association of Canada says in desperation: “Verbal assurances [from Indian officials] are no longer sufficient.” A telling comment comes from a foreign engineer who is working at an unfinished stadium site. “The people over here are very careless and the mentality is very lazy,” he says. “If one person works, the other five want to just stand around him and watch. They all waste time.”
The games village is being built on a controversial environmentally sensitive site – the banks of a dying river which skirts the capital. The less said about the infrastructure, the better. The games, according to its website, will leave behind “a city much more beautiful and charming that it currently is”. It talks about how a colonial city centre has been “given a new façade and is experiencing a resurgence”, and how the city’s monuments are being “cleaned and revitalized”.
But the facts are that if it rains during the event, Delhi’s roads will overflow with water and sewage or cave in. If there is a gale, electricity lines will snap, trees will fall and block the roads, and roofs will fly. The organisers must have been delusional to award the games to a city with such utterly shambolic infrastructure. Also, since there will be no separate lanes for the venues-bound traffic, I see huge gridlocks, and traffic being stopped to let the games traffic pass. Slums are expected to fenced off with bamboo, and beggars are to be rounded up. The 12-day, 17-discipline sporting event is all set to become the biggest nightmare for Delhi’s denizens.
Already workers have died at the construction sites, and human rights groups are up in arms about how workers at venues are being underpaid and have flimsy security. I spotted a picture where women workers wore tatty rubber sandals at a site where the signage indicates they should be wearing boots. It’s the same old story – apart from a few shining exceptions like the Delhi Metro- of brazen disregard for basic safety norms, woeful planning and exploitative contractors. And we have revulsion for real change. We remember how an indoor stadium roof leaked in the monsoon rains and players quit wet tables when the world table tennis championship opened in Calcutta decades ago. We remember how we sat on drying paint at an upgraded cricket stadium and endured its stinking, overflowing rest rooms to watch an international game.
The Queen’s Baton
The Queen’s Baton received a grand welcome on entering India from Pakistan, through the Attari-Wagah border, on 25.06.2010 marking the 100-day countdown to the Commonwealth Games, 2010 in Delhi.
Pakistan Olympic Association president Syed Arif Hassan handed over the baton to Indian counterpart and Commonwealth Games organising committee (OC) chairman Suresh Kalmadi, as thousands of people on both sides of the border celebrated the occasion with great fanfare.
The celebration began with school children from either side exchanging messages of peace through an initiative named Aman ki Asha.
Folk artistes from Punjab, Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh performed to set the mood for the occasion, while Amritsar’s famous Wadali brothers and well-known Pakistani vocalist Rahat Fateh Ali Khan enthralled the audience with their soulful renderings to celebrate the arrival of the Queen’s baton to the host country.
Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) president Mike Fennell’s support came as a boost for Mr. Kalmadi and company, as the OC has been racing against time to put everything in place for the Games. “The OC is working day and night to make the Commonwealth Games a good celebration,” Mr. Fennell said.
The dignitaries present at the event included Punjab Governor Shivraj Patil, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, Union Minister of State for External Affairs Preneet Kaur, Union Minister of State for Communications and Information Technology Gurudas Kamat, Union Sports Ministry secretary Sindhushree Khullar and Pakistan’s Punjab province Governor Salmaan Taseer.
Spontaneous cheering erupted when Olympic bronze winning boxer Vijender Singh and four-time world champion boxer M.C. Mary Kom started a joint-relay with the baton.
The baton, which has toured 69 Commonwealth nations so far, was taken out in procession to the Golden Temple and Durgiana temple before being kept at the Company Bagh in Amritsar for public display.
The baton, accompanied by a battery of 80 people, will cover 20,000 km during its relay through 28 States and seven Union Territories before reaching Delhi on September 30, 2010. The journey will culminate with the baton entering the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, venue of the Games’ opening ceremony, on October 3, 2010.
By the time it arrives at the opening ceremony, it would have travelled more than 1,90,000 km over 340 days, making it one of the longest relays in the history of the Games.
Street lighting fraud: CBI registers first case of corruption
The CBI, on 2.08.2010, has registered the first case of corruption relating to Commonwealth Games (CWG), against five MCD officials and the managing director of a private firm for causing a loss of Rs 3.62 crore to the government. The charges include corruption, misuse of official position, manipulation of tender documents and inflating costs in an Rs 345 crore projects for upgrading streetlights along 101.56 km of Delhi’s roads ahead of the Commonwealth Games. The FIR was lodged at the behest of the Central Vigilance Commission, which has found irregularities in 15 Games-related projects.
On February 12, 2010, the CVC asked the CBI to investigate the case after its Chief Technical Examiner’s (CTE) wing found large-scale manipulations and tampering of bid documents to favour a Delhi-based firm, M/s Sweka Engineering Works Pvt Ltd. The CVC, which probed the case in October 2009, concluded that the MCD officials colluded with the private firm and caused a loss of Rs 3.62 crore to the government.
It was also found that the rates of some items and discounts offered by the firm were tampered with in the documents after the bids were opened, either by canceling by hand or by overwriting.
After preliminary inquiries, the CBI has booked the firm’s managing director T. P. Singh, and five MCD officials — D. K. Shagun and O. P. Mahla (both superintending engineers) and other officials including Pradeep Rawat, Rajiv V, Gurcharan Singh and Bharat Singh. “The loss to the government could be even higher than it seems now,” a government source said.
Medals for 2010 Commonwealth Games unveiled – 9.08.2010
The Organising Committee of the 2010 Commonwealth Games 9.08.2010 unveiled the victory medals for XIX Commonwealth Games 2010 Delhi. The medals for Delhi 2010 are a product of excellence and reflect the spirit of the Commonwealth Games 2010 Delhi, a testament to brilliance and success of the athletes.
The medal design is clean and simple and the dominant form that gives it dynamism is a rising upward spiral that starts taking shape from the plain textured base, gradually becoming the highlight of the medal. The front of the medal has the Commonwealth Games 2010 Delhi logo and dates. The back has the emblem of the Commonwealth Games Federation.
The medal is 6 mm thick with a diameter of 63.5 mm. The signature element’s starting fin is raised by 1 mm and it rises up to 3 mm on the last fin. The embossed logo and date is raised by 1mm.
OC CWG Delhi 2010 has ordered a total of 1,408 medals, which includes multiple medals for team events. The cost of producing each gold medal is Rs 5,539, while every silver medal costs Rs 4,818 and a bronze medal Rs 4,529. The total cost of producing these medals is Rs 81, 08,566 including the price of the boxes and lanyards.
Two injured as armed men attack foreign tourists in Delhi – 19.09.2010
Two armed men on a motorcycle opened indiscriminate fire outside the historic Jama Masjid in the Walled City of Delhi on 19.09.2010 morning, injuring two Taiwanese nationals who were about to board a tourist bus. A red alert has been sounded as the attack comes barely two weeks ahead of the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi. Just a few hours after the incident there was another security scare as a Maruti 800 car went up in flames about 100 metres from the ancient mosque. The attack took place outside Gate No. 3 of the mosque.
Though an e-mail, purportedly sent by the Indian Mujahideen to a radio station, claimed responsibility for the incident, the police have ruled out the involvement of any organised terror group.
The injured — Zewei (40) and Chiang (38) — were taken to the Lok Nayak Jaya Prakash Narayan Hospital and are said to be out of danger.
E-mail warns against hosting Commonwealth Games
Hours after the firing on a group of foreign nationals outside the Jama Masjid in the Walled City of Delhi on 19.09.2010, an e-mail purportedly sent by the Indian Mujahideen claimed responsibility for the attack and warned the government against hosting of the Commonwealth Games.
“We know that preparations for the Games are at their peak. Beware! We too are preparing in full swing for a great surprise! The participants will be solely responsible for the outcome as our bands of Mujahideen love death more than you love life,” said the e-mail. It also refers to the Batla House encounter in South Delhi on this day two years ago. “We dedicate this attack of retribution to martyrs Shaheed Atif Amin and Shaheed Muhammad Sajid, who proudly laid down their lives valiantly fighting..,” the e-mail read.
Footbridge collapses near Delhi stadium – 21.09.2010
In a huge setback to the organisers of the Commonwealth Games, a footbridge under construction near the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, main venue of the Games, collapsed on 21.09.2010, injuring 27 labourers.
The bridge, which collapsed around 3.15 p.m., on 21.09.2010 was meant to link the parking lot for the spectators. The structure was to be supported by clips (pins) attached at the end of the suspenders dangling from an arch.
Of the 27 injured, four have been admitted to the Safdarjung Hospital and 23 treated at the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences. Five of them are said to be in a serious condition. The Delhi government has slapped a black-listing notice on the contractor.
Tiles on false ceiling collapse in weightlifting arena – 22.10.2010
Trying to dispel the gloom surrounding the preparedness for the Commonwealth Games, Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on 22.09.2010 admitted that “minor hitches and glitches” were there but the international event was not collapsing.
Her appeal came even as nine tiles, measuring 2X2ft, on the false ceiling in the weightlifting arena of the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium Complex collapsed in the morning of 22.09.2010. No one was injured. Sources at the stadium said it was a minor mishap and must have occurred when maintenance staffs were carrying out last-minute checks.
During her interaction with the press, several issues were raised, apart from the crashing down of a portion of the false ceiling in the weightlifting arena: the firing near the Jama Masjid, the collapse of a foot bridge near the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium and complaints by delegates of unhygienic conditions at the Games Village.
Meanwhile, security forces took over all Games-related venues. The lockdown will be followed by a massive sanitisation exercise during which Delhi Police personnel, in coordination with agencies such as the National Security Guard, will carry out anti-sabotage checks. Bomb squads and sniffer dogs will be used for combing and screening operations.
More athletes pull out of Commonwealth Games
World women’s discus champion Dani Samuels has joined a long list of top athletes who have pulled out of the Commonwealth Games.
The star Australian confirmed on 21.09.2010 that she would not travel to India due to “health and security” reasons. Her absence clears the way for India’s Krishna Poonia for a possible gold medal in this event.
Samuels’ announcement came before England’s world triple jump champion Phillips Idowu and Olympic women’s 400 metres champion Christine Ohuruogu announced their decision to stay away from the Games.
Kenyan Olympic 1500m champion Asbel Kiprop also announced that he would not be coming.
The Games had been hit much earlier by the withdrawal of Olympic and world champion sprinter Usain Bolt from Jamaica, triple gold medallist swimmer Stephanie Rice from Australia, defending champion in 100m Asafa Powell from Jamaica and England’s tennis attraction Andy Murray.
Two ace Kenyan athletes who withdrew on account of fatigue were 800m world record holder David Rudisha and 5000m Olympic bronze medallist Edwin Soi.
Injuries had accounted for the withdrawal of 10000m world champion Linet Masai of Kenya and Lisa Dobriskey of England, defending champion in the 1500 metres.
Much sheen lost due to high-profile withdrawals
It is hard to gauge the impact of the blow dealt to the profile of this edition of the Commonwealth Games by the decisions of several leading sportspersons to stay away.
The latest additions to the long list of pullouts are women’s discus World champion Australia’s Dani Samuels and World triple jump champion England’s Phillips Idowu. Dani withdrew due to health and security concerns while Idowu considered India unsafe to travel.
Recently, top Australian biker Richie Porte, known for his exploits in road races too, was made to miss the Games after being denied permission owing to Australia’s international Pro-Tour commitments.
Much sheen has already been taken away from these Games in the absence of Olympic and World champion Usain Bolt, defending 100m title-holder Asafa Powell on the track, triple Olympic gold medallist Stephanie Rice in the pool and Andy Murray from the tennis court.
Athletics has lost at least 10 major stars. The main reason for the withdrawals in track and field is due to the fact that the Games are being held after the end of the season.
Jamaican sprint giants Bolt and Powell, 800m world record holder Kenyan David Rudisha and Olympic 5000m bronze medallist Edwin Soi have opted out due to fatigue.
A host of athletes were forced to skip the quadrennial event because of injury. They are 1,500m Olympic gold winner Kenya’s Asbel Kiprop, women’s 400m Olympic gold medallist and defending 400m champion England’s Christine Ohuruogu, former women’s 1,500m World title holder and a gold winner in the Melbourne Games Lisa Dobrisky besides World champion in 10,000m, Kenya’s Linet Masai.
Stephanie Rice’s pullout was a shocker for the organisers. The Aussie swimming star, the 400m individual medley world record holder, withdrew from the Games after she decided to go under the knife to fix her troubled right shoulder.
Tennis, which makes its debut in the Games, has already lost World No. 4 and Australian Open runner-up Andy Murray, former World No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt, World No. 18 Marcos Baghdatis and women’s World No. 7 Samantha Stosur.
In cycling, British track star Sir Chris Hoy would be hugely missed. He chose to take part in the European championship instead of the Games since both the events were scheduled at the same time.
Another star pullout was seen in Rugby 7s, following top Kiwi player Adam Thomson’s decision to stay away due to a knee injury.
Australia committed to participation – 23.09.2010
Even as some participating nations adopted a “wait and watch” policy, Australia committed itself to participation in the Commonwealth Games to be held here from October 3 to 14.
Australian Commonwealth Games Association Chief Executive Perry Crosswhite and the country’s sports minister Mark Arbib have given a boost to the sagging spirits of the Organising Committee (OC). “The Australian government is committed and our number-one priority is the safety of our athletes, and those people travelling to India,” Mr. Arbib told Australian radio, according to an OC.
Oct 3, 2010
Commonwealth Games: the Opening Ceremony – Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium
Oct 4-8, 2010
Artistic Gymnastics: (IG Sports Complex)
Oct 4-9, 2010
Swimming (Dr SPM Swimming Complex)
Oct 4-10, 2010
Archery (Yamuna Sports Complex/India Gate), Tennis (RK Khanna Tennis Stadium)
Oct 4-12, 2010
Weightlifting (JN Sports Complex)
Oct 4-12,14, 2010
Netball (Thyagaraj Sports Complex)
Oct 4-13, 2010
Bowls (JN Sports Complex)
Oct 4-14, 2010
Badminton (Siri Fort Sports Complex), Hockey (Maj. Dhyan Chand National Stadium), Squash (Siri Fort Sports Complex), Table Tennis (Yamuna Sports Complex).
Oct 5-8, 2010
Track Cycling (G Sports Complex)
Oct 5-10, 2010
Wrestling (IG Sports Complex)
Oct 5-11, 13, 2010
Boxing (Talkatora Indoor Stadium), Shooting pistol & small bore (Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range).
Oct 6-12, 2010
Athletics track and field (Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium)
Oct 6-13, 2010
Shooting clay target (Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range)
Oct 7, 2010
Synchronised swimming (Dr SPM Swimming Complex)
Oct 9, 2010
Athletics 20m walk (India Gate)
Oct 9-13, 2010
Shooting full bore (CRPF Campus, Kadarpur)
Oct 10, 2010
Road Cycling, mass start (India Gate)
Oct 11-12, 2010
Rugby Union sevens (Delhi University)
Oct 12-14, 2010
Rhythmic Gymnastics (IG Sports Complex)
Oct 13, 2010
Diving (Dr SPM Swimming Complex), Cycling Time Trials (Noida Highway Express Road)
Oct 14, 2010
Athletics Marathon (Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium/marathon course), closing ceremony (Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium)
Commonwealth Games 2010: venue guide
Jawaharlal Nehru Sports Complex
Athletics, lawn bowls, weightlifting
The 60,000-seater complex, named after the first Prime Minister of India, was the main venue for the IX Asian Games in 1982. It will host the Opening and Closing Ceremonies for the 2010 Commonwealth Games.
A footbridge under construction for the Commonwealth Games near to the main Nehru stadium in New Delhi collapsed 11 days before the Games were due to begin, injuring 23 people. A false ceiling at the weightlifting venue then collapsed 24 hours later. The lawn bowls venue has, as yet, been safe from harm.
Delhi University
Rugby Sevens
The updated stadium has auto-sprinkling technology, underground drainage, an ozone system for air-freshening, a low power consuming air-conditioning system and lush natural grass.
The 10,000-seater, will also serve as the training venue for Netball, Boxing, Women’s Wrestling and Athletics during the Games.
CRPF and Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Range, Kadarpur
Only seats 345 but perhaps should be catering for more considering Abhinav Bindra, who won India’s first individual Olympic gold in 2008, will be competing. Lucky then that’s at the CRPF range while the Dr Singh venue can house up to 1,000 spectators. The venue survived heavy monsoon rains in July.
Thyagaraj Sports Complex
Netball
Named after an 18th-century south Indian poet-composer, the Thyagaraj is India’s first-ever model Green Venue built with the latest green technologies. Maybe Delhi’s embattled Games organisers could come here to find peace if things get more pear-shaped during the Games.
Indira Gandhi Sports Complex
Gymnastics, cycling, wrestling
Located on the western bank of Yamuna River, it was built in the 1982 and is the largest indoor stadium in India. The velodrome was completed in June and has been adjudged as being second in quality only to the one used during the Beijing Olympics by the International Cycling Federation.
Dr. S.P. Mukherjee Swimming Stadium
The 5,000-seater venue flooded during the Delhi monsoons and has been in the spotlight after a swimmer was injured because of a loose tile. Technical flaws were seen in the pool structure and there was no lift built for the divers to reach the high board. The staircases leading to the top are cramped, while the ceiling at the warm-up area was deemed too low. The changing rooms were also seen as too small. The complex is located on the ridge forest area of Central Delhi and care has been taken so as to save a large number of trees in the area.
Talkatora Indoor Stadium
Boxing
Opened in February, the 3,035-seater stadium has one competition ring and four warm-up areas.
Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium
Hockey
Built to host the first Asian Games in 1951, the stadium is often referred as “the temple of Indian Hockey”. Named after the legendary hockey player and Olympian Major Dhyan Chand, the stadium hosted this year’s World Cup and boasts two brand new synthetic hockey turfs. It has a 20,000 capacity and with India’s penchant for hockey will be one of the more boisterous venues during the Games.
Siri Fort Sports Complex
Badminton, squash
Hosting the two racket sports, the squash arena has 11 singles courts that can convert into five doubles courts and one show court, while the badminton stadium houses five match courts and three practice courts. The ‘green’ aspects range from rainwater harvesting, solar-powered heating, re-use of treated water for horticulture, and double-glazed windows.
R.K. Khanna Tennis Complex
For the first time, tennis has been introduced as a medal sport in the Commonwealth Games. The complex has been a tennis facility since 1970 and also hosted tennis events for 1982 Asian Games. Seats 5,000.
Yamuna Sports Complex
Table tennis, Archery
Located in East Delhi, the foundation stone of this complex was laid by Late Mr. Rajiv Gandhi, former Prime Minister of India, in 1989. The complex offers facilities for multiple sports for East and North-East Delhi. The Archery stadium has semi-circular building with tensile fabric roofing.
President Patil to inaugurate Games, denying Britain royalty their traditional honour
President Pratibha Devisingh Patil will declare the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games open,
denying the British royal family the traditional honour for the first time in the Games history.
The Indian Government and Clarence House appeared to be at loggerheads over whether Prince Charles will be asked to declare the 2010 Games open.
Senior Indian Government aides claimed that President Patil and not Charles would officially declare the Games open on 3.10.2010.
Rousing welcome for Queen’s Baton in New Delhi – 1.10.2010
After traversing 1,90,000 km across the world — 20,000 km of it through the Indian territory — the Queen’s Baton Relay for the XIX Commonwealth Games reached the host city New Delhi on 30.09.2010 afternoon.
Olympian and Dronacharya awardee Satpal Singh ran in with the gold-plated baton into the Organising Committee headquarters at Jantar Mantar and handed it over to Delhi Lieutenant-Governor Tejendra Khanna, who in turn passed it on to Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit. Organising Committee Chairman Suresh Kalmadi received the baton from Ms. Dikshit. Light-emitting diodes embedded on the baton lighted up in the pattern of the Indian tricolour.
Worldwide journey
The baton entered the Capital from Haryana on 30.09.2010 morning. It started its worldwide journey on October 29, 2009, when Queen Elizabeth II handed it over to President Pratibha Patil in London. It reached India from Pakistan through the Wagah border on June 25, 2010.
On 1.10.2010, the baton will be taken to important landmarks such as Vijay Chowk, India Gate, Teen Murti Bhavan, Qutub Minar and Lotus Temple. On 2.10.2010, it will make stops at Gurdwara Rakabganj, St. Columba’s Cathedral and the Games Village.
The baton will culminate its journey at the Opening Ceremony at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on 3.10.2010. The honour of carrying the baton on its last lap into the stadium has been bestowed upon Olympic gold medalist Abhinav Bindra.
President Patil declares the Commonwealth Games open – 03.10.2010
The 19th Commonwealth Games were jointly declared open by Prince Charles and President of India Pratibha Patil on 3.10.2010 at the Jawahar Lal Nehru stadium, the main venue for the Commonwealth Games in Delhi.
Here’s the complete text of President Patil’s speech:
Sport, has always been, a powerful bridge, across cultures and people. At the 19th Commonwealth Games 2010 Delhi, we shall see this come true, one more time. We will witness, the power of sport, to bring together, athletes from the nations and territories of the Commonwealth, bound together, by a commonality of purpose.
Over the next 11 days, thousands of athletes will take part, in intense competition, across different sports and para-sport disciplines. We will see, a variety of emotions unfold, when the competitions begin. And we will experience much of it, ourselves.
More than anything else, we will see human endeavour, at its best. Each athlete will strive to give his or her best. Such determined effort, will offer those watching the Games, a great opportunity, to imbibe lessons that will enable them enhance the quality of their pursuits.
Sports is a microcosm of life. Those watching sports persons pursue their dreams, will get to see, how to perform under enormous stress, and, to deal with success and failure. Let me wish the athletes, the very best in their dedicated pursuit of excellence.
To our friends from other countries, let me say: India is a diverse and beautiful nation, with a rich heritage and culture. I am sure you will experience it in all its hues and cherish it. To my fellow Indians, I would like to say: let us use this opportunity, to showcase our legendary hospitality, while we enjoy the celebration of sport in our country.
The Commonwealth Games 2010 Delhi are now open.
Let the Games begin.
This is how the medals tally on 14.10.2010, the final day
Country | Men | Women | Mixed | Total | ||||||||||||
G | S | B | T | G | S | B | T | G | S | B | T | G | S | B | T | |
| Australia | 35 | 25 | 23 | 83 | 38 | 28 | 25 | 90 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 74 | 55 | 48 | 177 | |
| India | 25 | 15 | 24 | 64 | 13 | 11 | 12 | 36 | 1 | 1 | 38 | 27 | 36 | 101 | ||
| England | 22 | 37 | 20 | 79 | 14 | 21 | 22 | 57 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 37 | 59 | 46 | 142 |
| Canada | 12 | 7 | 11 | 30 | 14 | 10 | 21 | 45 | 26 | 17 | 32 | 75 | ||||
| South Africa | 7 | 9 | 9 | 25 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 33 | ||||
| Kenya | 6 | 7 | 6 | 19 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 9 | 32 | ||||
| Malaysia | 5 | 5 | 6 | 16 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 16 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 12 | 10 | 13 | 35 | |
| Singapore | 5 | 4 | 6 | 15 | 5 | 6 | 2 | 13 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 11 | 11 | 9 | 31 |
| Nigeria | 4 | 3 | 6 | 13 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 22 | 11 | 10 | 14 | 35 | ||||
| Scotland | 5 | 6 | 4 | 15 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 9 | 10 | 7 | 26 | |
| New Zealand | 1 | 12 | 5 | 18 | 4 | 9 | 3 | 16 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 22 | 8 | 36 | |
| Cyprus | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 12 | ||||
| Northern Ireland | 3 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 10 | ||||
| Samoa | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 4 | ||||||||
| Wales | 2 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 12 | 2 | 7 | 10 | 19 | |||||
| Jamaica | 1 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 7 | |||||
| Pakistan | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 | ||||||||
| Uganda | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | ||||||||||||
| Bahamas | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 | ||||||||
| Sri Lanka | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | ||||||||
| Nauru | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||||||||||
| Botswana | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4 | |||||||||
| St. Vincent & The Grenadines | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||||
| Cayman Islands | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||||
| Trinidad and Tobago | 2 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 6 | ||||||||
| Cameroon | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 6 | |||||||
| Ghana | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 4 | ||||||||
| Namibia | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | |||||||||
| Seychelles | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||||
| Papua New Guinea | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||||
| Mauritius | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | ||||||||||||
| Isle Of Man | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | ||||||||||||
| Tonga | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | ||||||||||||
| Bangladesh | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||||
| Saint Lucia | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||||
| Guyana | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||||
| Total | 144 | 146 | 151 | 441 | 121 | 121 | 124 | 366 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 21 | 272 | 274 | 282 | 828 |
List of the top Medal winning Countries in Commonwealth Games from 1930
Year | Country | GOLD | SILVER | BRONZE | TOTAL |
| 2010 | Australia India England Canada | 74 38 37 26 | 55 27 59 17 | 48 36 46 32 | 177 101 142 75 |
| 2006 | Australia England Canada India | 84 36 26 22 | 69 40 29 17 | 68 34 31 11 | 221 110 86 50 |
| 2002 | Australia England Canada India | 82 54 31 30 | 62 51 41 22 | 63 60 44 17 | 207 165 116 69 |
| 1998 | Australia England Canada Malaysia | 80 36 30 10 | 61 47 31 14 | 57 53 38 12 | 198 136 99 36 |
| 1994 | Australia Canada England Nigeria | 87 40 31 11 | 52 42 45 13 | 43 46 49 13 | 182 128 125 37 |
| 1990 | Australia England Canada New Zealand | 52 47 35 17 | 54 40 41 14 | 56 42 37 27 | 162 129 113 58 |
| 1986 | England Canada Australia New Zealand | 52 51 40 8 | 43 35 46 16 | 49 31 35 14 | 144 117 121 38 |
| 1982 | Australia England Canada New Zealand | 39 38 26 5 | 39 38 23 8 | 29 32 33 13 | 107 108 82 26 |
| 1978 | Canada England Australia Kenya | 45 27 24 7 | 31 28 33 6 | 33 32 27 5 | 109 87 84 18 |
| 1974 | Australia England Canada New Zealand | 29 28 25 9 | 28 31 19 8 | 25 21 18 18 | 82 80 62 35 |
| 1970 | Australia England Canada Scotland | 36 27 18 6 | 24 25 24 8 | 22 32 24 11 | 82 84 66 25 |
| 1966 | England Australia Canada New Zealand | 33 23 14 8 | 24 28 20 5 | 23 22 23 13 | 80 73 57 26 |
| 1962 | Australia England New Zealand Canada | 38 29 10 4 | 36 22 12 12 | 31 27 10 15 | 105 78 32 31 |
| 1958 | England Australia South Africa Canada | 29 27 13 1 | 22 22 10 10 | 29 17 8 16 | 80 66 31 27 |
| 1954 | England Australia South Africa Canada | 23 20 16 9 | 24 11 6 20 | 20 17 13 14 | 67 48 35 43 |
| 1950 | Australia England New Zealand Canada | 34 19 10 8 | 27 16 22 9 | 19 13 20 14 | 80 48 52 31 |
| 1938 | Australia England Canada South Africa | 24 15 13 10 | 19 14 16 10 | 22 10 15 6 | 65 39 44 26 |
| 1934 | England Canada Australia South Africa | 29 17 8 7 | 20 25 4 10 | 24 9 2 5 | 73 51 14 22 |
| 1930 | England Canada South Africa New Zealand Australia | 25 20 6 3 3 | 23 15 4 4 4 | 13 19 7 2 1 | 61 54 17 9 8 |
1. Abhinav Bindra and Gagan Narang – Men’s 10m Air Rifle (Pairs)Shooting
2. Rani Sarnobat and Anisa Sayyed- Women’s 25m Pistol (Pairs) Shooting
3. Ravinder Singh – Men’s 60kg – Repechage Wrestling-Greco-Roman
4. Sanjay Kumar Men’s 74kg – Repechage Wrestling-Greco-Roman
5. Anil Kumar Men’s 96kg – Repechage Wrestling-Greco-Roman
6. Gagan Narang- Men’s 10m Air Rifle Shooting
7. Anisa Sayyed- Women’s 25m Pistol Shooting
8. Omkar Singh- Men’s 50m Pistol Shooting
9. Renu Bala Chanu Yumnam – Women’s 58kg Category Weightlifting
10. Ravi Kumar Katulu- Men’s 69kg Category Weightlifting
11. Rajender Kumar – Men’s 55kg – Repechage Wrestling-Greco-Roman
12.Omkar Singh and Gurpreet Singh – Men’s 10m Air Pistol (Pairs) Shooting
13 Gurpreet Singh and Vijay Kumar- Men’s 25m Rapid Fire Pistol (Pairs) Shooting
14. Geeta Rani – Women’s 55kg – Repechage Wrestling-Freestyle
15. Dola Banerjee, Deepika Kumar and Bombayala Laishram- Women’s Recurve – Team Archery
16. Gagan Narang and Imran Hassan Khan- Men’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions (Pairs) Shooting
17. Omkar Singh – Men’s 10m Air Pistol Shooting
18. Vijay Kumar – Men’s 25m Rapid Fire Pistol Shooting
19. Alka Tomar- Women’s 59kg – Repechage Wrestling-Freestyle
20. Anita Kumari Women’s 67kg – Repechage Wrestling-Freestyle
21. Vijay Kumar and Harpreet Singh- Men’s 25m Centrefire Pistol (Pairs) Shooting
22. Gagan Narang- Men’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions Shooting
23. Yogeshwar Dutt- Men’s 60kg – Repechage Wrestling-Freestyle
24. Narsingh Panch Yadav- Men’s 74kg – Repechage Wrestling-Freestyle
25. Deepika Kumari- Women’s Recurve – Individual Archery
26. Rahul Banerjee- Men’s Recurve – Individual Gold Medal Match Archery
27. Harpreet Singh- Men’s 25m Centrefire Pistol (Singles) Shooting
28. Somdev Devvarman- Men’s Singles – Gold Medal Match Tennis
29. Sushil Kunar- Men’s 66kg – Repechage Wrestling-Freestyle
30. Krishna Poonia – Discus throw (women)
31. Heena Sindhu and Anuraj Singh – Women’s pairs 10m air pistol event
32. Suranjoy Mayengbam – Fly Weight 52kg Boxing event
33. Manoj Kumar – Light Welter Weight 64kg Boxing event
34. Paramjeet Samota – Super Heavy Weight +91kg Boxing event
35. Manjeet Kaur, Sini Jose, Ashwini Chidananda Akkunji and Mandeep Kaur – Women’s 4 x 400m Relay
36. Sharath Kamal and Subhajit Saha – Table Tennis men’s doubles final
37. Ashwini Ponnappa and Jwala Gutta – Badminton doubles
38. Saina Nehwal – Badminton Singles
