Lot needs to be done: Commonwealth Games panel member

After visiting the upcoming Games Village in New Delhi for the 2010 Commonwealth Games, a member of the CG Federation (CGF) felt on Thursday that a lot still needs to be done though quite a bit of work has been carried out.

"Quite a bit of work has been done and there is still a lot more to be done," president of British Virgin Islands Olympic Committee Ephraim Penn told reporters before he was taken away by the Organising Committee officials.

Delegates from 71 Commonwealth countries are here to attend the CGF General Assembly Oct 12 and also get a first hand experience of India's preparedness for the 2010 event.

The visit of the delegates comes in the wake of CGF president Mike Fennell raising doubts over the Organising Committee's (OC) ability to host the mega event.

Fennell is part of the visiting delegates and would preside over the CGF executive board meeting.

Three buses carrying the delegates and a convoy of eight cars of police escorts are going around the city inspecting the 10 venues.

The media have been kept at a fair distance from the delegates and only photographers were allowed inside the security ring.

The restrictions for media got worse after Penn's reaction as the organisers were caught off guard.

Immediately thereafter, during the visit to Thyagraj Stadium, police and OC officials only allowed camera persons, banning the entry of reporters even within 500 metres of the premises.

Penn on Wednesday said that security will be one of the major points on the agenda for both the executive board and the General Assembly sessions.

"Everybody has security concerns and we are following closely what is happening in this part of the world. The Mumbai terror strikes and the attack on Sri Lankan cricketers in Lahore have caused some discomfort among the member countries," he said.

Penn pointed out that the challenges faced by India are similar to those faced by other countries in the past.

"All countries who have hosted the Commonwealth Games have faced such challenges while organising the Games."