A number of star pullouts are being reported before the Commonwealth Games, but Organising Committee Chairman Suresh Kalmadi has said there will be plenty of world champions in action and those who have withdrawn have done so because of injury.
Mr. Kalmadi said that a clear picture of the list of athletes would emerge only on September 3 when the countries would have to submit the entries by name.
The OC chairman is unfazed by the pullouts of crowd-pullers such as sprint stars Usain Bolt and Asafa Powell, swimming sensation Stephanie Rice and tennis players Lleyton Hewitt and Samantha Stosur.
Asked whether the pullouts were a worrying factor, Mr. Kalmadi said, “No, not at all. Because many top world class stars are coming. A few are not coming because of injury.”
“Bolt has not gone in the last four five events because he was not well. Whether anybody will come or not will be known only on September 3 when the countries will give their entries by name. Entry by general category has been going on,” Kalmadi told PTI in an interview.
The Indian Olympic Association chief said in the absence of big names, new stars would be made at the Games.
“Lots of world champions are coming. Few have backed out not because of any other reason but injury. Stephanie Rice has backed out because she was injured. Shelly Ann-Fraser was caught in a dope case. Chris Hoy’s taking part in Olympics depends on that event (European Championships),” he pointed out.
“Anyway, if somebody is not coming, a new champion, a new star will come up. Bolt is not coming but other athletes who are just 0.02 or 0.03 different (in timing) will come. So new champions will happen, I am happy with that. The 71 Chefs de Mission who have come here were happy with the Games so they have told us that most of their athletes are coming,” he asserted.
Asked whether he was upset about the corruption allegations that have come about in the last month or so, Mr. Kalmadi said he had all along maintained that nothing wrong was done and all the proposals were cleared through the executive board of the OC.
“You must remember we had taken a big team for the bid. A third world country has got the Games after 60 years. The Games were mostly held in England, Australia, Canada or New Zealand. So it was a challenge to show that a third world country can do it. There have been a lot of challenges,” he said.
