New Delhi:
The CGF CEO Mike Hooper assured the concerned foreign athletes by saying the security planning for the Commonwealth Games is satisfactory and that India would host a safe and successful event in October.
"There are some concerns but our security planning is on track and we are happy with the progress. We will continue our collaboration with the authorities and the Delhi Police to take stock of the situation in future. But we are confident about a safe and successful Games," Hooper told reporters.
"We have already advised our member associations about security arrangements. We have told them despite the Pune attacks and recent threat by a terrorist group, please be assured that security planning for the Games is on track."
"We have advised them that the Government of India will deliver to their promise of safe and sound Games," Hooper, who was at loggerheads with OC Chairman Suresh Klamadi recently, added.
Recently, Olympic champion and world record holder Australian swimmer Stephanie Rice had said that she is ready to skip the Delhi Commonwealth Games if security risks are too high in India.
The 21-year-old swimmer, who clinched three golds in 2008 Beijing Olympics and holds world record in women's 400m individual medley, said she was waiting for instruction from the Australian Commonwealth Games Association and the national swimming federation before taking a final call on her participation in the October 3-14 event in Delhi.
The CGF chief executive, meanwhile, said that CGF's security advisors are already in the Capital to assess the ground situation and would be briefing the Chef de Missions of different participating nations next week during their seminar to be held from March 8-12.
"Our security experts are here and are working closely with the Organising Committee and the Delhi Police. Besides the police, they will also make a detailed presentation to the Chef de Missions during the seminar," said Hooper, who was here at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium to watch the hockey World Cup match between New Zealand and Korea.
He said that there was nothing to panic about as no untoward incident has taken place in the just-concluded Commonwealth Shooting Championships here and at the ongoing hockey World Cup so far.
"The shooting championships was conducted peacefully and the hockey World Cup is also on. We have given commitment to our associations that level of security during the Commonwealth Games will be of the highest level," Hooper said.