All problems sorted out, players are happy: Kalmadi

Rubbishing the claims of the Village being called "filthy" and "unliveable" the Organising Committee chairman said a “Games Village like this cannot be seen anywhere else.”

Members of the Norfolk Island team pose with performers and Games mascot Shera at the Commonwealth Games Village in New Delhi on Monday.

Commonwealth Games Organising Committee Chairman Suresh Kalmadi on Monday claimed that all major problems in the much-criticised Athletes Village have been sorted out and a majority of the flats were ready to be occupied.

“People are now happy with whatever they have got. Over a 1,000 people have come now and they are very happy. Most of the athletes are happy,” Mr. Kalmadi told reporters here.

“Eighty per cent of the flats are fine. The sun is out and everything will be fine. All the athletes are happy,” he said.

The Games Village was initially dubbed filthy by the visiting delegates and there was more criticism when the South African High Commissioner claimed that a snake was found in the one of the athletes’ rooms.

But Mr. Kalmadi said all complaints have been addressed.

“We have done whatever that had to be done. Whatever problems were there earlier have been sorted out. I don’t think they have seen a Games Village like this anywhere else. There is no more scope for improvement,” Mr. Kalmadi said.

Asked why the cleaning up of the Village was left to just a week before the Games, Mr. Kalmadi said this was not OC’s responsibility.

“Cleaning is not my job, it should have come clean to us when it was handed over. But everyone is happy now and there would be no further problems. We have some small issues but they will be sorted out,” he said.