Commonwealth crisis as 23 are injured at Games stadium
Fears grew today that the Commonwealth Games could be called off after at least 23 people were injured, five critically, when a footbridge collapsed outside the main venue in New Delhi.
The steel walkway was being built to link the car park with the Jawaharlal Nehru stadium and raises further fears over security, accommodation and competitor safety.
The event is due to start a week on Sunday. It has been plagued by construction delays, allegations of corruption and mismanagement — and dengue fever in the Indian capital. The accident came hours after it was revealed there were "grave concerns" over the conditions in the athletes' village.
Team leaders from England, Scotland, Wales, New Zealand, Australia and Canada said some of the accommodation was "unsafe and unfit for human habitation".
A statement from Commonwealth Games Scotland said: "Representation has been made to the Commonwealth Games Federation to make a realistic decision as to at what point and under what conditions they would determine whether the Games will be able to go ahead should the village issues not be resolved."
Commonwealth Games England has called for "urgent" work to be done before athletes begin arriving on Friday.
In a statement, CGE said: "Since our first inspection, monsoon weather has highlighted a number of different issues which need to be addressed including plumbing, electrical and other operational details."
CGF president Michael Fennell has admitted that the village is "seriously compromised" and has written to the Indian Cabinet Secretary expressing his "great concern".
But sports minister Hugh Robertson remains confident the Games will go ahead. He said: "There is nothing that I have seen or heard that has suggested that these are problems that cannot be sorted out. I'm expecting that our teams will turn up in Delhi as announced and that the Games will go ahead as planned."
