By Avishek Roy, IANS,
New Delhi : Randhir Singh is the lone International Olympic Committee (IOC) member from India and he raised a hornet’s nest when he went to town blasting the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee (CGOC) of which he is vice-chairman, saying he was “only pointing out certain deficiencies and that we should get on with the work on all fronts”.
“I know how an event of this magnitude is run and I also know where we stand now and what we should do to catch up with the schedule,” Randhir Singh told IANS in an interview on the preparations for the Oct 3-14, 2010 Commonwealth Games here that will be the biggest sporting extravaganza that India has ever organised.
“Criticism should be constructive and it should be welcomed because sometimes you may think things are moving in the right direction, whereas it might not be so,” he maintained.
In private, Randhir Singh talked a lot more on the way the committee is functioning. His main grouse is against too much concentration of authority and the lack of delegation of powers to the various sub-committees headed by people who are competent to take decisions and deliver.
His outburst galvanised the organising committee and overnight the sub-committees have started functioning at the swank new CGOC headquarters near Connaught Place in the heart of New Delhi and the capital’s commercial hub.
In a freewheeling interview with IANS, Randhir Singh, the secretary general of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and n Asian Games gold medalist in shooting, reasons out the issues he has raised.
Excerpts:
Q: What made you go public on certain organisational deficiencies though you are part of the organising committee?
A: Look, I took part in the 1982 Asian Games as an athlete. I know how an event of this magnitude is run and I also know where we stand now and what we should do to catch up with the schedule. I was only pointing out certain deficiencies and that we should get on with the work on all fronts. You know sometimes you have to be diplomatic and sometimes you have to be blunt. Criticism should be constructive and it should be welcomed because sometimes you may think things are moving in the right direction, whereas it might not be so.
Q: Time is running out and there is all round scrambling, leading to grave doubts about the successful conduct of the Games. Do you think the promise of organising a great Games will be fulfilled?
A: We have to stage the Games in a manner befitting the country’s stature and image and for that we have to raise the bar organizationally. When we hosted the Asian Games (in 1982), we went all out to make it an event to remember and we should make the CWG as spectacular.
Look what China has done with the Olympic Games. They have set a benchmark that is difficult for other organizers to meet. India will be measured by that standard.
Q: What exactly did you mean when you talked of decentralisation of power?
A: My major concern was quite similar to that of the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) chief Michael Fennell and it is related to overall staging of the event. I am not worried about the security or the infrastructure.
Infrastructure would definitely be ready before the Games. Some of the venues may be a bit delayed but it will surely be ready in time.
My point was about the functioning of the 23 sub-committees which needed to be activated and given more powers. These are the people who will be responsible for the daily conduct of the Games. Right from the reception at the airport to the accreditation, they will be looking after every minute detail.
Many of the committees have already met and now they will have more involvement and should be able to take decisions instead of running around for approvals. Then there are clusters of these committees that need to discuss every small thing.
Q: Don’t you think that we have lost a fair bit of time and the CGF has rightly questioned the competence of the organising committee to host the event?
A: The people who are involved in the organising committee and various sub committees are all highly qualified and they are competent to organise an event of this magnitude. Once he starts interacting with the people involved with the actual conduct of the Games, Fennell will realise the people here are indeed capable of handling things.
Lot of people and heads of these committees have the experience of being associated with the (1982) Asian Games. They have the knowledge and know-how. And wherever we need foreign experts we have them. I am sure things will work out now. It’s not something that we cannot do now.
Q: Your take on the concern about staging the test events as scheduled?
A: Frankly, now only the hockey and shooting events have to be held. The venue has to be ready and handed well before time. The cushion for thinking is over now and we have to work at breakneck speed. In shooting, it is mandatory to have the Commonwealth Championship one year before the CWG. It has already got delayed and now the venue has to be completed on time so that the cabling and other things could be done before the event.
Q: Now that the focus has completely been shifted to the organization of the event, what about training of the Indian athletes?
A: I don’t think that training of our athletes is an issue. The government is spending money and athletes are getting the best of training overseas. They federations have got the coaches and I am sure that we will showcase a good performance.
Q: What about the whispers that the national federations are not quite happy with the calling of foreign experts?
A: Let me make it clear that it is the national federations who will be running the event. We have encouraged the national federations in all possible ways. The foreign experts who are here have been deputed by the international federations to help out officials and their role is advisory.
Then there are certain areas where the foreign experts are part of the technical conduct of the Games and they are part of every Games. Take for instance the medal ceremony. It might seem a small thing but there are multiple tasks that need to be performed simultaneously. You have to see that the flags are there, the national anthem is ready etc. So these things will be better handled by a professional who knows it.
Q: Do you still have any concerns on the completion of the Games Village?
A: It is right on track and I can tell you that it is going to be one of the best Villages in the history of Commonwealth Games. It will have all the modern facilities that you can think of.