Commonwealth Games Farce

All eyes will be on India in the coming weeks

This week revealed some shocking images from India as it prepares to host the nineteenth Commonwealth Games.

New Delhi plays host from the 3^rd–14^th October, and India 2010 has been billed as a celebration of diverse culture, traditions and heritage.

But this week’s news highlighted the difficulties facing the Indian Organising Committee as it builds up to the opening ceremony, with the footbridge collapse on Tuesday triggering a whole host of revelations.

Sky revealed a hole in the ceiling of the weightlifting hall which eventually gave way, while various media outlets have exposed the filthy state of the accommodation provided for the athletes.

Images of stained wash basins, urine-splattered bathroom floors and paw marks from wild dogs who roam around Delhi’s streets all came to light on Thursday – just hours before the first lot of English athletes were due to fly out.

Wales, having previously set a deadline of 5pm on Wednesday, seem to have been convinced by India’s efforts, and will send out their athletes tomorrow, but others are less than impressed.

Despite Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh taking control of the dire situation, the federal government have ordered the Organising Committee to hand over management of the village, the Scotland team are delaying their first party of 41.

Now William Hill is offering 5-1 odds the games will fail to go ahead as scheduled, and 2-1 that either England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland will pull out.

Big names of the athletics world have already said they will not compete, further casting doubt over the credibility of this year’s games.

Great Britain’s quadruple Olympic gold medallist Sir Chris Hoy withdrew in July, admittedly sighting a clash with the European Championships which carry Olympic qualification points.

However, Sir Chris is not the only Brit to have snubbed the games.

He has been joined by 400m’s reigning Commonwealth and Olympic Champion Christine Ohuruogu and triple jump’s World Champion and reigning Commonwealth Games Champion Phillips Idowu in the last week.

Not to mention Jamaica’s 100m sprint-sensation Usain Bolt, above, and fellow countryman and defending 100m champion Asafa Powell.

Both speed daemons have sighted niggling injuries and a preference to get into shape ahead of next year’s World Championships in South Korea as their reasons for withdrawing.

Elsewhere, Australia’s Minister for Sport Mark Arbib claimed more could follow world discus champion Dani Samuels’ tearful withdrawal over health and security worries, while Canadian officials have described the Indian officials as ‘incompromisable’.

All in all, it has probably been the worst build-up to a games in recent history, if not of all time.

But how has it been allowed to get to this calamitous stage?

Seven years ago, The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF), chose India as its nation to host the quadrennial event.

Few could blame them.

India, the second most populous country with over 1.18 billion people, has a wealth of commercial and cultural heritage.

It has as diverse a culture as you can imagine, founding four of the world’s major religions – Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism – while Judaism, Christianity and Islam joined during the first millennium CE.

Add to this one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, The Taj Mahal (pictured), and fellow UNESCO World Heritage Site The Mahabodhi Temple, and none can argue India lays host to some of the world’s finest beauty spots.

Responsible for the direction and control of the games, the federation’s 71 nations all gave consent to India; therefore it is difficult to pass the buck.

However, once India was chosen, in the same way as when London was awarded the 2012 Olympics in 2005, the CGF passed all responsibility to the Indian Organising Committee.

The latter must take responsibility for this farce, but it does cast serious aspersions over the handing-over process.

With just nine days remaining, the fact they find themselves in this precarious position is laughable, and surely the CGF are ultimately responsible and must re-asses the handover process and their responsibility during the build up to the games.

It also begs the question: are the withdrawals solely due to the horrendous conditions at the time of writing, or because the Commonwealth Games are becoming devalued?

The irony is that in dismantling the British Empire, Britain was supposed to relinquish control over its former colonies.

It is now thirteen years since the handover of Hong Kong to the People's Republic of China, thus giving independence to most of the Empire’s former territories, and yet the way Britain has reacted to India’s preparations does smack a little of a parent telling their child “I told you so”.

Perhaps justifiably so, as there can be no excuses for the state of the village.

But you can be sure that if was the World Championships at stake, there would not be this spate of withdrawals from the top athletes.

The star withdrawals, and the shambles in which preparations have been allowed to develop thus far, do lend to the idea the games are in decline and one lasting remnant from the Empire.

Australia's retired marathon runner Steve Moneghetti said that Indian organizers ‘have got two days to do what's probably going to take about two weeks’.

I for one hope they get it right as, at its best, India is a spectacular setting and a fitting venue for any games.

One which, potentially, could capture the hearts of even the most cynical of critics.

Why Henson would be better off foxtrotting his way over to Adams Park

Welsh Dragon: Henson dancing to his own tune at the Millennium Stadium

This week saw the BBC reveal their line up for this year’s Strictly Come Dancing.

Among the names set to light up our Saturday evenings is Gavin Henson, Welsh rugby’s former darling who helped his nation to two Grand Slams in 2005 and 2008.

For non-rugby enthusiasts, Henson’s involvement in the dance competition will add a rare panache to a show which usually showcases former sports stars, rather than current ones.

But Henson is the poster boy of Welsh rugby – what David Beckham is to English football if you will – and, however much Becks is perceived to be a prima donna, you will not see him tiptoeing around a ballroom dancefloor anytime soon.

And nor should Henson.

Henson has come to prominence playing rugby, and playing it rather well. There are few who can combine the flair, elegance and brutality on the field as the boy from Bridgend.

Despite his club side Ospreys winning the Magners League in his absence last term, Henson's talents have been missed by both club and country since his self-imposed exile from the game some 18 months ago.

In many ways, there are similarities between Henson and Beckham. Both enjoy the spotlight, the fast cars, the good looks, and the celebrity partner (although Henson has recently split from his fiancée Charlotte Church).

There is, however, one major difference between the two.

Beckham has excelled in his sport and, despite earning millions in non-sporting endorsements, has never forgotten what put him on the map: playing football.

Golden Balls still harbours a burning desire to represent his country in the autumn of his stellar career, and revealed this week he is chomping at the bit to be involved in the LA Galaxy’s fixture with Columbus Crew this Sunday after a six-month absence to an Achilles injury.

Henson, by stark contrast, appears happy to dip in and out of the sport which gave him his name, and this disrespect for the most unforgiving of sports, at least physically, will surely come back to haunt him.

Those close to the mercurial Welshman have no doubts he still harbours hopes of donning the famous red jersey again, and representing his nation in a World Cup.

After tasting Grand Slam success twice, he has yet to appear in a World Cup after being omitted from Gareth Jenkins’ squad that performed so dismally in France in 2007.

This glaring omission from his playing CV still haunts Henson, and he still hopes to address this as New Zealand 2011 approaches.

Just how he expects to do so when he is messing around on a television show is anybody’s guess, especially when he is approaching the peek of his career.

Henson may well go on to reproduce his top form for both club and country, and point to the fact he had this break from the game. But how many have followed a similar decision?

Strictly is only on for four months, while rugby is Henson’s bread and butter.

To even be considered for Wales in 2011, he must be playing regularly for a club, which brings us nicely onto this week’s rumours that Wasps are set to sign him in January.

The move would make perfect sense. Shaun Edwards is the current head coach of the London outfit, while also juggling this role with his part-time position as the Welsh defensive coach.

Edwards knows Henson inside out, and also has a direct link to the national team and Warren Gatland should Henson turn out eye-catching displays at Adams Park.

For Henson to figure for his country in a World Cup though, he must look to eradicate this playboy image – one that has seen him appear on The Jonathan Ross Show, banned from numerous Cardiff night spots, engaged to a celebrity, and appear on the said talent show.

There is no doubting Henson has talent, I just hope he decides it is best utilised on a rugby field, rather than in a ballroom.

EFC Injury Jinx Strikes Again

    Going in for the kill: Ex-Liverpool player Neil Warnock's reckless lunge

Apparently Tottenham are suffering an injury crisis at the minute.

Michael Dawson and Jermain Defoe were today ruled out for six weeks with respective knee and ankle injuries.

Their absence leaves Tottenham in a bit of a fix and comes at the worst possible time, according to the Daily Mail (it must be true).

The gremlins at the Mail also revealed in their injury-blow-themed back page that Manchester City's latest big-money acquisition Mario Balotelli will be facing, you guessed it, six weeks out after undergoing knee surgery in Italy.

Cry me a river...

Evertonians would have chocked on their cornflakes to learn their star protégé, Jack Rodwell, will face up to THREE MONTHS on the sidelines.

The England Under 21 star has suffered ankle ligament damage after an ex-Liverpool player, Stephen Warnock, hacked him needlessly in the centre circle during Aston Villa's game with Everton last week.

Anyone who saw Dawson's horrific fall last Friday will tell you the defender is lucky not to be facing at least six months out, rather than the six-week prognosis, while City will hardly notice Balotelli's absence.

For Spurs and City, these 'injury blows' should not derail their plans for success both domestically and abroad.

Rodwell's injury, however, is the latest in a long line of lengthy lay-offs to have affected the club since Yakubu was cruelly ruled out for 10 months in November 2008.

Show me an injury crisis, and I'll show you an injury crisis.

Everton's treatment room:

Yakubu, ruptured Achilles (November 2008-September 2009, 10 months)

Mikel Arteta, ruptured cruciate knee ligament (February 2009-January 2010, 11 months)

Victor Anichebe, damaged knee cartilage (February 2009-January 2010, 11 months)

Phil Jagielka, ruptured cruciate knee ligament (April 2009-February 2010, 10 months)

Phil Neville, posterior ligament damage (September 2009-December 2009, 3 months)

Steven Pienaar, knee (September 2009-November 2009, 2 months)

Marouane Fellaini, ankle ligament damage (February 2010-August 2010, 6 months)

Dan Gosling, ruptured cruciate knee ligament (March 2010-present)