India should aim for Olympics: Oz Sports Min

[hecj]

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New Delhi: India has surpassed hopes and expectations with the Commonwealth Games opening ceremony and should aim for hosting the Olympics, Australian Sports Minister Mark Arbib on Tuesday said.

"I like Indian culture so I had high hopes. But, they surpassed my hopes and expectations. It was riveting. So congratulations," Arbib said in an interview.

The young Sports Minister said the opening ceremony was beautiful, colourful and creative.

"At the same time it was a wonderful display of Indian culture. For Australians, every Australian I spoke to, it was wonderful. So people responsible for organising should be congratulated," he said.

Asked if he though Indian was capable of hosting Olympics, Arbib said, "I am not an expert in terms of whether a country is up to it or not. But they were comments by International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge, I think he said India should bid. That is a positive sign for India. And there is no reason why the Games should not come to India in future."

The Minister, however, threw in a word of caution and said a decade worth of work goes into it.

"It is a big big event. Having seen it in Sydney, a great deal of preparation, a decade worth of work goes into it. It is something that you, no doubt, should aim for."

On the large number of negative comments emanating from Australian shores in the run up to the Games about India's preparedness and security among others, Arbib said there was nothing unusual about it and such things happen before any big sporting event.

"Before any major sporting events... I come from Sydney, before the Sydney Olympics, they were saying Sydney Olympics was going to be a disaster. They were talking about transport problems, logistics problem. In the end you can only judge the success of the Games when they are underway. " He said the athletes and officials were very happy with the arrangements and thanked the Organisers especially the Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit.

"There is no doubt that in the last two weeks lot of work was done, the Village in particular to get it up from scratch. We got good cooperation from the Indian authorities and obviously the Chief Minister, the Delhi government has put a lot of effort into that and we appreciate that."

Asked about the security arrangements, Arbib said, "It was first class".

"We have visited a number of locations. The Village, the main stadium, bowling, the swimming, the security of all those from my perspective has been first class. Not just in terms of large contingent of security personnel but also in terms of they deal with people very professional. At the same time they are very cooperative and helpful. We are pleased." Arbib also had a word of praise for the volunteers, who, he said, were the real stars of the Games as they were very helpful and cooperative.


i created the separate thread coz few ppl were questioning for the facilities,and many were referring australia for the poor facilities

[third eye]

New Delhi's reply to the Aussie Minister..

' Thanks but no thanks"

Any other Indian city could take its call.

[Kinetic]

The Ozzie mainly making the fuss of everything and after that pleasing!

[prototype]

we dont need their advice, Delhi is preparing it for Olympics

[TheWarriorIndian]

Green Signal has been given by the cabinet, Hevent they, It was reported In Head Lines today.... But cannot find any Link...

[prototype]

^^ cannot believe them,this channels create news if they had a dream about it

[anoopsaxena76]

Well nice of him to comment that.

Perhaps he does not know how much really we spent to come up with these world class facilities.

Regards,
Anoop.

[Jackdaws]

I don't think we should bid for the Olympics. And when we do, we should not should host it in a more civilized place than Delhi.

[prototype]

I don't think we should bid for the Olympics. And when we do, we should not should host it in a more civilized place than Delhi.

Delhi not civilized

[Hafizzz]

Go for it , India !

[Sachin Tendulkar]

Thanks Aussies,but no thanks.
We have our own mind and thinking,which is definitely better than yours.
:0

[PAKFA]

I am in support of hosting Olympic bid by India.

[Mirza Jatt]

games like these are also meant for development purpose....delhi has hosted two games...its time we select some other less develped city for any other event like these.

[riju78]

Agree with jatt. If we do bid for it should be somewhere like Bangalore or Hyderabad

[Sachin Tendulkar]

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Agree with jatt. If we do bid for it should be somewhere like Bangalore or Hyderabad

Bangalore is already a nice city!
Its developing nicely per annum,I think Hyderabad should be given a chance.

I am a Delhite though!