CGF rejects OC demands to remove Hooper, Kalmadi defiant

New Delhi, Oct 16 (PTI) The showdown between the
Commonwealth Games organisers and their international bosses
took a more acrimonious turn Friday with the Commonwealth
Games Federation (CGF) rejecting calls for the event CEO's
ouster and bluntly telling the Organising Committee to focus
on the work at hand.


The CGF president Michael Fennell also ruled out
scrapping its proposed independent monitoring panel to oversee
the preparations, setting the stage for what now appears to be
a protracted and bitter tussle between the organisers and the
Games parent body.

A day after Organising Committee chairman Suresh Kalmadi
had sought event's CEO Mike Hooper's sacking describing him as
"useless", the CGF threw its weight behind its high-ranked
official and made it clear that there was no question of any
change at this stage.

Kalmadi, however, insisted that he will push for Hooper's
transfer out of Delhi and will take up the matter with Fennell
when they meet in London on October 28 and 29.

Fennell said Kalmadi's demands were surprising and the OC
should focus on Games' preparations instead of seeking removal
of officials.

"We are naturally very surprised and disappointed in
receiving this request to remove Mr Hooper from Delhi given
his unquestionable commitment to successful celebration of
2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi," Fennell said from Jamaica.
MORE PTI Team
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