Woes jeopardize Games

NEW DELHI - Less than two weeks before it begins, one of the world's biggest sports events is in jeopardy as organizers struggle to cope with unfinished buildings, a filthy athletes' village called "unfit for human habitation," a bridge collapse, concerns over security and corruption, and an outbreak of dengue fever.

The Commonwealth Games, which bring together more than 7,000 athletes from the 71 countries and territories every four years, were supposed to showcase the emerging power of India - just as the 2008 Beijing Olympics did for China.

Instead, the Oct. 3-14 Games in New Delhi are highlighting the problems in the developing nation of more than one billion people that is still plagued by vast areas of poverty.

The frenzied, last-minute preparations are in such disarray that some officials are speculating that a few teams could withdraw or the event could be called off.

The latest blow came Tuesday, with the collapse of a footbridge being built to connect the main stadium to a parking lot. Police said 23 construction workers were injured, five seriously.

Hours earlier, the Commonwealth Games Federation urged the Indian government to finish work on the athletes' village, which is due to open Thursday. Beyond shoddy conditions inside and outside the buildings, there are problems with plumbing, wiring, furnishings, Internet access, and cell-phone coverage.

"They have to come up with a clear plan to meet the needs of athletes and show they can provide consistent standards," said Mike Hooper, chief executive of the Commonwealth Games Federation.

The Games have historically been dominated by England, Australia, and Canada, and all three have voiced concerns about the conditions in India.

"It's hard to cancel an event of this magnitude, but we are close to the wire, and teams may start to take things into their own hands," England chef de mission Craig Hunter told Britain's Press Association. ". . . We need new levels of reassurance."

Australian discus world champion Dani Samuels withdrew from the Games on Tuesday, citing concerns over health and security, according to her manager, Hayden Knowles. And England's Phillips Idowu said he wouldn't defend his triple-jump title in New Delhi because of fears for his safety. He has children, he explained on Twitter, and "my safety is more important to them than a medal."

Commonwealth Games Scotland said the team's living area was "unsafe and unfit for human habitation."

New Zealand team manager Dave Currie had some of the strongest words for organizers. "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," he told New Zealand radio network newstalkZB.

The chaos has severely dented India's hopes of using the Games as a springboard for a bid to host the Olympics in 2020 or 2024. The International Olympic Committee carries out more rigorous and frequent inspections of host cities to make sure construction deadlines are met.

The Games in India are only the third to be staged outside Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

New Delhi, India's capital and home to more than 12 million people, was chosen as this year's host in 2003, beating out Hamilton, Ontario. Between then and 2008, the country did little to prepare.

Lalit Bhanot, secretary-general of the organizing committee, said the situation at the village was normal. "All Games face such problems, and they will be resolved before the athletes come in," Bhanot said.

Even Hooper, the federation chief executive, called the problems "fixable."

He would not speculate on whether the Games would take place. "The Games start on the third of October, and everything that has to be done must be done," he said.

The buildup to the Games has also been plagued by poor ticket sales and monsoons. Organizers said last month that only 50,000 tickets had been sold, out of 2.3 million available.

Two weeks ago, New Delhi was hit by an outbreak of dengue fever, and heavy rains have contributed both to the problem of the mosquito-borne virus and to floods. Doctors in New Delhi's private clinics said they were inundated with dengue patients and accused the government of vastly understating the situation.

Security in the city was also increased after unidentified gunmen wounded two tourists Sunday. An Islamic extremist group took responsibility for the shooting.