Cricket: Players voice India security fears

Concerns over security by New Zealand's Indian Premier League players have not swayed New Zealand Olympic Committee officials from the line that the Delhi Commonwealth Games will be safe for athletes.

The Weekend Herald has learned that New Zealand's Indian Premier League players - including Daniel Vettori, Brendon McCullum and Ross Taylor - have written letters to their franchises asking for clarity and a chance to review security arrangements before the April tournament.

"Unfortunately, by and large, the responses haven't been great and certainly don't provide you with much comfort as to what is happening to ensure players are safe," said New Zealand Cricket Players' Association manager Heath Mills.

"The players are becoming increasingly concerned about the general security situation in India and an independent security report commissioned by FICA [the professional cricketers' association] has done nothing to alleviate those concerns."

The specifics of the report, compiled by Australian security company SIG, were not available but it is understood to have raised concerns that the IPL and its participants could be targeted by terrorists.

Mills said that if he was an athlete due to visit the subcontinent, whether for the hockey world cup, the Commonwealth Games, or cricket, and had seen the report commissioned by FICA, "I would be asking serious questions about security arrangements".

Mike Stanley, New Zealand Olympic Committee president, said: "It is a watching brief for us. Security is our number one priority for the Games, we will not do anything where we would put athletes in a situation where their security could be at risk. There are more important things than sport.

"We have been kept well informed and have taken advice from MFAT [Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade] and the New Zealand police, we've got a lot of confidence in the process the Commonwealth Games Federation is running and we've been well supported by international consultancies who know the security issues around Games very well ... and currently our position is the [security] has been appropriately planned for."

Privately, concerns are increasing about Delhi's readiness. Two sources who asked not to be named said that even at this late stage - the Games are in October - they would not be surprised to see a wide-scale pull-out.

In the new year it was reported that England was on the verge of pulling its team from the Games, a story rebutted by their Commonwealth Games Association.

A senior Government source told the Daily Telegraph that there was "virtually no chance" a team would be sent.

Stanley said several interviews were convened in the wake of that report and there was no indication anything like that was imminent or had even been discussed.

There was no indication either that the IPL players would forsake the hundreds of thousands of dollars on offer at the cash-rich tournament on the back of an independent security report, though Mills said the players were becomingly increasingly agitated.

"The players have not been allowed to view the security measures or risk assessments which is unfortunate as such disclosure and review are standard practice," he said.

"Players should have a fundamental right to assess measures designed to protect their safety."

Asked whether he thought it was a realistic option for players to pull outof the tournament, Mills said: "You can't spend much money if you're dead."