Two Canadian Athletes have withdrawn from the Commonwealth games, both of them archers.
One is former World Champion Dietmar Trillus and other is Kevin Tataryn and both have cited concerns about health and safety.
And the Canadian Commonwealth mission, now on the grounds in New Delhi, have advised their athletes to delay their departure by two-three days. They were to leave on Sept. 23.
When asked about the larger ramifications of dropping out of the Games by these two Canadian archers, Indian Commerce Minister Anand Sharma, who's in Toronto at the head of a high-powered business delegation, responded with a very stern voice: "Let me put it bluntly: Tens of thousands of athletes would be coming. Those (Canadian) athletes would be missed out and it will be very sad that they are being misled only by (media) reports as it is the duty of federations (of each country), the bodies to communicate with the players directly about the facilities in place, about what the Indian government has stated."
He hesitatingly conceded that "India has been able to put together world class infrastructure. It is true there are some short comings" and they have been "highlighted."
"There are many positives of the Commonwealth games in New Delhi," Sharma said. "At the same time it would be wrong to have a picture that India is not able to host (the Commonwealth Games)."
"We have unprecedented floods in our region due to heavy rain which continue even today but still people are working. We are trying to put the Games together," Sharma continued to explain that nothing has gone wrong with the Games."
Sharma advised journalists not to have the picture that India wouldn't be able to host the games as some artists have decided to pull out of the Games.
He and members of his delegation were supposed to depart for Ottawa Sept. 23. While in Ottawa, Sharma said ,amongst other leaders he would also meet Prime Minister Stephen Harper. And those meetings were to further discuss the proposed Comprehensive trade pact with India.
The Canadian contingent would comprise of 225 athletes: Andrew Pipe, president of the Commonwealth Games Canada, is quoted in a report in the Globe and Mail as saying 'there has been disappointment with the Indian government's indifference in the face of Commonwealth nations criticism of slow construction.
"The Canadian team officials were meeting three times a day bgy phone to see what progress could be made toward getting the Games to happen on time."
For them the sad part was that so far they have received possession of seven suites that could accommodate a maximum of 70 people. But there are 225 Canadian athletes.
