Currie defends Hooper as effigies burn

Dave Currie. Photo / Bastiaan Beentjes.

New Zealand Commonwealth Games chef de mission Dave Currie today defended compatriot Mike Hooper, whose comments and lavish expenditure have led to effigies of him being burned in Delhi.

Protesters yelling "Leave Michael Hooper, go back, go back!" this week branded Hooper, head of the Commonwealth Games Federation, a racist.

Reports in India quoted Hooper as having said Delhi's "population hazard" hampered the organisation of the Games.

He also made headlines for his lavish lifestyle, with a stipend and servants paid for by the Indian taxpayer through the Games Organising Committee.

Delhi has been in a race against time to be ready for the opening ceremony on Sunday, with venues and the athletes' village barely operational.

Hooper and the organisers have copped the bulk of the blame for what has been seen as a shambolic entree to the premier Commonwealth sporting event.

Burning effigies was harsh on Hooper, Currie told NZPA in Delhi today.

"That's is pretty tough, really," he said.

"Mike has worked extraordinarily hard in a difficult environment. You'd find that a pretty difficult circumstance to be in.

"In fairness to Mike he had been telling us (there were problems) for a long time. "

Currie, who was instrumental in getting Indian authorities to hastily intervene to ensure the Games went ahead, said he now wanted to look ahead to the sport, and leave the recriminations until later.

He admitted there were times when he thought Delhi would not be held, as complaints about its shortcomings seemed to be being ignored by organisers.

Eventually intervention by diplomats and Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit saved the day.

"It was really her who came through the village, up until then no one acknowledged there was a problem."

Dikshit threw "unbelievable resources" at the Games, Currie said.

"Without that it was debatable it would have happened. If the chief minister hadn't imposed it, it would have been hard to see that the village would have been finished."

Most New Zealand athletes are now in Delhi, with the men's hockey team and the Silver Ferns netballers arriving last night. The sevens rugby side were now the only substantial group left to arrive.

"Our sense is we just have to get underway now, that's what it's all about finally getting the athletes here and getting competition."

Uncertainty over whether the Games would go ahead had left team planning four or five days behind schedule, Currie said.

"It really has been only the last five days we've been able to focus on getting our place ready for the team. We've scrambled and got there.

"We're in a good spot."

- NZPA