Footbridge in Delhi collapses, athletes’ village “unfit for human habitation,” say team leaders
The Commonwealth Games, scheduled to start in 12 days in Delhi, are in danger of cancellation after a footbridge collapsed, and team leaders arrived from around the world to find facilities unfinished or unfit for use. Preparations for the Games have been plagued by corruption and delay, critics say, along with some of the heaviest monsoon rains in memory. The problems culminated yesterday in the collapse of a footbridge leading from a parking lot to Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, where the opening ceremonies and main events were to take place. Twenty-three people were injured. National team officials from Canada, New Zealand, Scotland and other countries say the condition of the athletes’ residences is below sub-par and they are now discussing their options. Scott Stevenson of Commonwealth Games Canada has stopped short of threatening to pull Canada’s team from the Games, but is demanding that the problems be fixed by Friday. Managers with New Zealand and Australia are similarly pessimistic. Indian organizers “have got two days to do what’s probably going to take about two weeks,” said Australia’s chef de mission Steve Moneghetti.