Games security in question after mishaps - Nichol

Cranes remove debris of a collapsed bridge near Jawaharlal Nehru stadium in New Delhi, India. Photo / AP

Infrastructure bungles at the Commonwealth Games must prompt further questions about security in Delhi, according to New Zealand Athletes Federation head Rob Nichol.

Following an outcry over the incomplete nature of the athletes' village, a footbridge near the main stadium collapsed overnight (NZT), fuelling concern that the Indian capital is not fit to host the four-yearly event starting on October 3.

New Zealand Olympic Committee (NZOC) officials joined counterparts from other nations in criticising the unfit state of the village and have implied that the Games could be cancelled if conditions aren't swiftly improved. Team chef de mission Dave Currie accepted an offer for the New Zealand team to shift premises in the village yesterday as the original area was deemed "unliveable".

NZOC president Mike Stanley and secretary general Barry Maister joined a New Zealand delegation headed by Currie this morning, but won't comment on their findings until tomorrow.

The Indian Organising Committee was rocked further today by the footbridge collapse, Police said 23 construction workers were injured, five seriously.

Nichol said such problems were predictable, believing that building codes of compliance were rushed.

He was more concerned about the implications for security before and during the 12-day Games.

"Those that are telling us the athletes' safety is the No 1 priority are the same people who chose to schedule the Games in Delhi, in a developing country that was always going to struggle logistically to pull this off," Nichol told LiveSport radio today.

"To get it all finished without hiccups and issues, there was always going to be problems. Now it's manifesting itself to a point where people aren't going to be safe.

"Living conditions have to be liveable, absolutely... but for goodness sake do not lose sight of the fact that security is the No 1 issue.

"We are staging the Commonwealth Games in a city that is bordering on extreme risk for terrorist attacks, with direct threats made against it."

Nichol was heartened that Stanley and Maister were getting a first-hand view of Delhi, and would part of an international contingent watching police trial security plans.

He remained happy to leave a decision on New Zealand's involvement in the Games to the NZOC, which may make an announcement following a board meeting in Auckland on Friday.

Organising Committee secretary general Lalit Bhanot insisted the village would be ready to host the 7000 athletes from 71 countries, arguing that foreign living expectations don't necessarily match those in India.

"These rooms are clean to both you and us," he told a press conference.

"However, it may not appear so to some others. They want certain standards in hygiene and cleanliness which may differ from our perception."

Three more leading British athletes today announced they were not attending while Australia's world champion discus thrower Dani Samuels said she was pulling out because of security concerns.

Nichol urged New Zealand athletes to hold off on making decisions, at least until Friday's NZOC meeting.

"You will start to get athletes around the world pulling out but, for our athletes, it's about holding off. You don't need to make a call today, the NZOC will make the call first so wait until they go through the process.

"If you have got concerns or you want to make a phone call, for goodness sake make it. Don't sit there and stew."

The first international athletes are due to arrive in the village on Friday, the day of its opening, while hockey is expected to provide the first New Zealand athletes in Delhi a day later.

Several New Zealand athletes and teams are preparing overseas or are about to leave for camps ahead of the NZOC meeting.

The swimming team left today for Abu Dhabi, with high performance manager Jan Cameron repeating her claim that another swimming competition was in the pipeline if the Games are cancelled. Australian and Canadian squads are in Singapore and the British in Doha, suggesting a meet in Asia could be hastily organised.

Meanwhile, senior figures in New Zealand said the future of the Commonwealth Games could hinge on the decisions made this week, including Prime Minister John Key.

"I think if the Commonwealth Games didn't go ahead, that would have significant implications for the future of the Commonwealth Games, and that's not something we'd like to see," Mr Key said.

"It also wouldn't be good for India. It's obviously a fast-emerging nation that New Zealand enjoys good relations with and we're looking to advance a free-trade agreement with so it has always been our position that we hope the games can go ahead and that New Zealand athletes would be safe and sound as they carried out their sporting events."

Sir Tay Wilson a member of the International Olympic Committee for 18 years before retiring in 2006, said he was confident the Games would go ahead.

"But any aspirations India had of hosting an Olympics, they will have lost credibility quite dramatically," Wilson told NZPA today.

"The Commonwealth Games are a big event, and each country tries to outdo its predecessor as to the facilities they provide and the experience they provide.

"As far as India was concerned, it was a step in the direction of 'let's bid for an Olympic Games', but I think they'd find it very, very difficult if they decided to now."

- NZPA