Despite spending crores of rupees in having a website that would update smoothly, a results system that would be prompt and accurate and a Games News Service (GNS) that would provide the back-up for the web and the media, nothing has worked well at the Commonwealth Games.
The website has been slow in keeping pace with the events since they began.
There was some improvement on Saturday in the printed results being made available in the Press box at the Nehru Stadium where athletics events are being held. There is no easy access to real-time scoring and results at the Press box, as is the practice in all major championships.
The web results have been made all too complicated. If you are seeking for the results of, say men's discus final, you get start lists, and about 16 other heads that have nothing to do with results. The results will come later, after you get the printed results. There are heads like “track events with starting blocks” and “track events without starting blocks”.
One could not have made this more complicated instead of having a simple ‘results' section in which you have start lists, heats, rounds, semifinals and finals. They could have simply copied what is available in major IAAF championships. Instead, someone passed this ridiculous format at the cost of crores to the public exchequer. Less said about the GNS the better.
Till Sunday, at the athletics stadium they did manage to provide a few quotes. On Sunday, they just handled one sheet. Contrast this to the requirements of the media at the Nehru Stadium.
For months the people involved with athletics had been told about the need to keep some lights on at the Press tribune when the floodlights are switched off in phases. All they needed were a few additional bulbs at the back of the tribune. Instead they opted for floodlights at 50 per cent capacity and 25 per cent capacity etc at huge costs.
