English athletes set to arrive

England hockey players
12 April 2012

The first English athletes were due to arrive in New Delhi on Friday as fears that the Commonwealth Games might be called off all but receded.

A number of teams accepted assurances from organisers but yet more individual athletes have pulled out of the event.

Commonwealth Games England and its 17 member sports "unanimously agreed" that they will go to the Delhi Games, a statement said.

The first England team athletes - the men's hockey and the bowls teams - flew out from London on Thursday night, Wales confirmed they will send their team, while Scotland said they had been heartened by organisers' statements.

The Games appears to have been pulled back from the brink of disaster after a series of guarantees about safety and improvements to the athletes village were made and the Delhi Government, under the leadership of chief minister Sheila Dikshit, agreed to put in place "concerted action" to resolve the problems.

The England team management said in a statement: "Commonwealth Games England and its 17 member sports today unanimously agreed they will go to the Delhi Games.

"CGE's chef de mission, Craig Hunter, and our team in Delhi, are now seeing the improved levels of resourcing which are required to resolve the significant operational issues, but we will continue to monitor the situation daily to ensure the Village and stadia are safe and fit for purpose.

"The board continues to press the Organising Committee of the Commonwealth Games Federation for assurances on both the stadia and the accommodation as well as liaising with the British Government. At all times the safety and security of our team is paramount."

The Wales team said: "We are delighted that Team Wales have received the assurances that they were looking for in order to compete in the Commonwealth Games. We know how much this means to all our athletes heading out there as an opportunity to compete in the Welsh jersey.

"We would like to pay tribute to the work of the advance party in Delhi in what has been a difficult week for them. We look forward to now cheering on our athletes as they look to bring home medals for Wales."

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