ID :
86945
Sat, 10/31/2009 - 01:46
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https://www.oananews.org//node/86945
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Hooper stays in Delhi, monitoring panel put on hold
London, Oct 30 (PTI) Controversial CGF CEO Mike Hooper
will continue to remain in Delhi but the proposal to appoint a
monitoring committee to oversee the preparation for next
year's Commonwealth Games have been shelved in a compromise
between CGF and Indian organisers.
After weeks of acrimony over organisational matters, the
Indian organisers and the Commonwealth Games Federation Friday
tried to do a balancing act and pledged to work together for
the success of the Delhi Games.
A marathon peace meeting between Commonwealth Games
Federation (CGF) President Michael Fennell and Organising
Committee chairman Suresh Kalmadi ended with a carefully
worded joint statement being issued, which largely spoke of
the need to focus on the functional areas that are essential
for the success of the sporting extravaganza.
Although the joint statement did not specify what
decisions the two had taken during the much-awaited meeting,
sources in the Organising Committee said that CGF CEO Mike
Hooper will continue to remain in New Delhi to oversee the
preparations of the Games.
But the proposal to form an independent monitoring panel
to oversee the preparations of the October 3-14 Games has been
put on hold for the time being.
The Organising Committee had rejected the proposal and
the development to put it on hold is seen as a reconciliation
on the part of the CGF, the parent body of the Games.
"It is agreed that there have been misunderstandings and
unfortunate media statements and reports that have created a
regrettable set of circumstances," the joint statement, aimed
at making a public show of unity, said.
"However, we feel that is critical that our attention is
focussed entirely on those functional areas that are essential
to the successful celebration of the Games in 2010 and no
useful purpose would be served by spending precious time on
those issues and we will put this behind us," the joint
statement issued by Fennell and Kalmadi said.
"We have agreed that we will continue to work together as
partners, fully recognising and respecting our individual
roles and ensuring that our attention is not diverted from
meeting all the targets that have been agreed upon."
The meeting of the two top officials took place
immediately after the Queen's Baton relay and was initiated by
India's Sport Minister M S Gill.
While the OC had sought Hooper's transfer out of Delhi
calling him "useless" and an "impediment" in the smooth
functioning of the Organising Committee, Kalmadi is learnt to
have taken a much more softer stand in his meeting with
Fennell.
Hooper and Kalmadi were engaged in a bitter public spat
barely a few days after the CGF's General Assembly in Delhi
early this month.
A final decision on whether to go ahead with the
monitoring panel would be taken only after the Coordination
Commission's visit to Delhi from December 14.
"We also met with office-bearers of the Indian Olympic
Association present in London and the Minister of Sport and
Youth Affairs, Hon'ble Dr M S Gill and informed them of our
understanding and all agreed that we must now move forward
with the sole objective of guaranteeing the successful
celebration of the 2010 Games in Delhi," the statement said.
"The next step will be the visit of the CGF Co-ordination
Commission commencing December 14 and they will evaluate the
progress to date and the achievement of the targets promised
by the Organising Committee. The results of this review will
be further considered and appropriate action agreed by all
parties.
"It was also agreed that no further comment would be made
by the parties concerned," it added.
The sources said both Kalmadi and Fennell wrote separate
letters on reaching an understanding on some of the disputes
and handed them over to Sport Minister Gill.
The Commonwealth Games have been plagued by a series of
controversies, which mainly started after Fennell wrote a
letter to the Organising Committee on the "tardy" preparations
for the Games and sought a meeting with the Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh to seek his intervention. PTI MRM
DDC
will continue to remain in Delhi but the proposal to appoint a
monitoring committee to oversee the preparation for next
year's Commonwealth Games have been shelved in a compromise
between CGF and Indian organisers.
After weeks of acrimony over organisational matters, the
Indian organisers and the Commonwealth Games Federation Friday
tried to do a balancing act and pledged to work together for
the success of the Delhi Games.
A marathon peace meeting between Commonwealth Games
Federation (CGF) President Michael Fennell and Organising
Committee chairman Suresh Kalmadi ended with a carefully
worded joint statement being issued, which largely spoke of
the need to focus on the functional areas that are essential
for the success of the sporting extravaganza.
Although the joint statement did not specify what
decisions the two had taken during the much-awaited meeting,
sources in the Organising Committee said that CGF CEO Mike
Hooper will continue to remain in New Delhi to oversee the
preparations of the Games.
But the proposal to form an independent monitoring panel
to oversee the preparations of the October 3-14 Games has been
put on hold for the time being.
The Organising Committee had rejected the proposal and
the development to put it on hold is seen as a reconciliation
on the part of the CGF, the parent body of the Games.
"It is agreed that there have been misunderstandings and
unfortunate media statements and reports that have created a
regrettable set of circumstances," the joint statement, aimed
at making a public show of unity, said.
"However, we feel that is critical that our attention is
focussed entirely on those functional areas that are essential
to the successful celebration of the Games in 2010 and no
useful purpose would be served by spending precious time on
those issues and we will put this behind us," the joint
statement issued by Fennell and Kalmadi said.
"We have agreed that we will continue to work together as
partners, fully recognising and respecting our individual
roles and ensuring that our attention is not diverted from
meeting all the targets that have been agreed upon."
The meeting of the two top officials took place
immediately after the Queen's Baton relay and was initiated by
India's Sport Minister M S Gill.
While the OC had sought Hooper's transfer out of Delhi
calling him "useless" and an "impediment" in the smooth
functioning of the Organising Committee, Kalmadi is learnt to
have taken a much more softer stand in his meeting with
Fennell.
Hooper and Kalmadi were engaged in a bitter public spat
barely a few days after the CGF's General Assembly in Delhi
early this month.
A final decision on whether to go ahead with the
monitoring panel would be taken only after the Coordination
Commission's visit to Delhi from December 14.
"We also met with office-bearers of the Indian Olympic
Association present in London and the Minister of Sport and
Youth Affairs, Hon'ble Dr M S Gill and informed them of our
understanding and all agreed that we must now move forward
with the sole objective of guaranteeing the successful
celebration of the 2010 Games in Delhi," the statement said.
"The next step will be the visit of the CGF Co-ordination
Commission commencing December 14 and they will evaluate the
progress to date and the achievement of the targets promised
by the Organising Committee. The results of this review will
be further considered and appropriate action agreed by all
parties.
"It was also agreed that no further comment would be made
by the parties concerned," it added.
The sources said both Kalmadi and Fennell wrote separate
letters on reaching an understanding on some of the disputes
and handed them over to Sport Minister Gill.
The Commonwealth Games have been plagued by a series of
controversies, which mainly started after Fennell wrote a
letter to the Organising Committee on the "tardy" preparations
for the Games and sought a meeting with the Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh to seek his intervention. PTI MRM
DDC
