Cancellation would be bad for Games' future - Key

Cancellation of the Delhi Commonwealth Games would be bad for the future of the games movement, and bad for India, Prime Minister John Key said today.

The New Zealand team said yesterday it had moved accommodation within the village due the uncleanliness and lack of acceptable facilities in the area allocated.

Delegates from other countries have also reportedly objected strongly to "unliveable" conditions in the village as the readiness of the Games, starting on October 3, comes under further scrutiny.

New Zealand chef de mission Dave Currie yesterday said he was shocked at what confronted him when he arrived at the team's allocated accommodation last week, and New Zealand Olympic Committee (NZOC) president Mike Stanley and secretary-general Barry Maister flew to Delhi yesterday - ahead of schedule - for a first-hand assessment of the situation.

Mr Key today said it was up to the NZOC to decide if conditions were safe for New Zealand athletes.

"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," he 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.

"But if they are to go ahead, from New Zealand's perspective, conditions have to be safe and sound for our people."

The decision about whether the team went was solely up to the NZOC but Mr Key supported individuals making up their own minds.

"But if an individual athlete decides they don't want to go for their own reasons, I would support them because I think, in the end, they have to make their own decision on whether they feel comfortable or not with the risks involved," he said.

Three British athletes today announced they were not going, and Australia's world champion discus thrower Dani Samuels said yesterday she would not go because of security concerns.

Asked how confident he was that the games would go ahead, Mr Key said he "wouldn't want to put a number on it".

"Obviously there are lots of different pictures emerging."

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

"I think the (Delhi) Games will go ahead, but any aspirations India had of hosting an Olympics, they will have lost credibility quite dramatically," Sir Tay 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