Delhi CWG will be first class: Fennell

The pace of preparations for this year's Commonwealth Games had him worried till a few days ago but CGF chief Mike Fennell has had a change of heart now and says everything in the Delhi event would be "first class".

"India has spared no resources for the Games and everything will be first class," Fennell said at a reception organised by the Indian community in Montego Bay in honour of the Queens Baton Relay.

The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) has been at loggerheads with the event's Organising Committee in India over the tardy pace of preparations and Fennell has been quite vocal about his displeasure in the past.

But the CGF chief said he is happy with the pace of work now and is looking forward to the October 3 to 14 event in the Indian capital.

"Things are in great shape. We had hoped all the venues would be ready ahead of time so we could test them, but they will be completed ahead of the start of the Games," he said.

The Commonwealth Games is the biggest multi-sport mega event to be organised in India since the 1982 Asian Games, incidentally also held in Delhi.

The build-up to the 12-day extravaganza has, however, been marred by construction delays and security concerns of the visiting athletes.

But Fennell said the Indian government was "taking every precaution, Games or no Games to ensure the safety of their citizens."