New Zealand Prime Minister John Key says the future of the Commonwealth Games would be jeopardized if next month’s New Delhi event is cancelled.
After being updated on India’s preparations Wednesday, Mr. Key said security rather than issues over the state of facilities remain the “biggest concern” ahead of the October 3-14 event.
World champion athletes from England and Australia withdrew Tuesday, citing health and security concerns. Complaints about the “seriously compromised” state of the athletes’ village have also stirred reports that organisers aren’t ready to stage the event.
New Zealand team manager Dave Currie has already insisted his 300-strong delegation be moved into a new area of the village and said local organizers would struggle to finish all the preparations on time.
In a foreboding assessment on New Zealand radio Tuesday, Mr. Currie said, “If the village is not ready and athletes can’t come, obviously the implications of that are that (the event) is not going to happen.”
Mr. Key said cancelling the Games, however, “would have significant implications for the future of the Commonwealth Games ... and also wouldn’t be good for India, an obviously fast-emerging nation that New Zealand has good relations with.” But, “If they are to go ahead, from New Zealand’s perspective, conditions have to be safe and sound for our people.”
Mr. Key said any decision to withdraw from the Games would be “solely for the New Zealand Olympic Committee” and would not be taken unilaterally.
“I’m sure they will compare notes with other countries and in due course they’ll make a decision they think is appropriate,” he said.
Mr. Key said individual athletes had the right to make their own decisions on whether or not to attend the Games.
“If an individual athlete decides they don’t want to go for their own reasons, I would support them. At the end of the day they can make their own choices and whether they feel comfortable or not with the risks involved,” he said.
Australian Sports Minister Mark Arbib echoed those comments Wednesday, saying the government would not advise athletes on whether or not to travel to New Delhi.
“The government cannot tell people not to compete. It can’t tell parents not to attend,” Mr. Arbib told reporters in Sydney, adding that he could only advise people to be up-to-date with the government’s latest travel advice relating to India.
