Commonwealth Games in trouble over village project

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - New Delhi could lose the right to host the 2010 Commonwealth Games if organisers are forced to shift the athletes' village from its present location, a senior Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) official said on Tuesday.

The games village being built on the banks of the Yamuna, one of India's major rivers flowing through the capital city, is the subject of a legal case after a petition raised environmental concerns over the project.

The Delhi High Court last week asked an expert to submit a report on whether the village, to house around 8,500 athletes and officials, should be allowed at the spot.

The CGF coordination commission held a meeting to review the games preparations and its chairman Austin Sealy said the village would be the best built for a Commonwealth Games.

"However, the Federation is aware of an issue affecting the village is presently before the courts in India and therefore considers it inappropriate to comment on the matter other than to note that any change, at this late stage, to the Games village arrangements would seriously jeopardise India's hosting of the Games," he said in a statement.

"The organising committee has been urged to have the matter resolved as a matter of urgency."

The panel also raised concerns over the delay in starting the velodrome construction and urged the organising committee chiefs to intensify their overall efforts.

Construction delays have already forced next year's world badminton championships to be shifted to Hyderabad.

The Oct. 3-14 games will feature archery, athletics, badminton, boxing, cycling, gymnastics, hockey, lawn bowls, netball, rugby 7s, shooting, squash, swimming, table tennis, tennis, weightlifting and wrestling.