Canada have apologised to India for questioning New Delhi's selection as hosts for the 2010 Commonwealth Games, Indian Olympic Association president Suresh Kalmadi said in New Delhi on Monday.
"They were initially disappointed after losing the race and the allegations were just at the spur of the moment. But their minister later apologised for the episode," Kalmadi said at the Delhi airport, after returning to a warm welcome from Jamaica with IOA officials including secretary Randhir Singh.
New Delhi's last-minute offer of $7.2 million for training of athletes from member countries worked wonders as it won overwhelming support in the General Assembly in Jamaica last week for staging the Games, prompting Canada to cry foul.
Members of the Canadian delegation were angered by the result after India's offer of $100,000 to each Olympic Association of the 72 Commonwealth members, that bettered the amount offered by Hamilton, proved decisive in the end.
Hamilton bid committee president Jagoda Pike had said soon after New Delhi's selection: "I think the big surprise is the introduction of the cash to all of the voting countries at the last minute.
"That has really blurred the whole issue on whether they won on merit or if it was simply an issue of cash for votes," she said.
Kalmadi attributed India's success in getting the Games for the first time to some "hard work done by the IOA".
"The presence of sportspersons made a difference and there is no doubt about that. But IOA did a great job in convincing the members about India's potential," he said.
"The government's decision to underwrite the cost for the Games also helped."
The IOA chief said the country's economy would receive a big boost with the hosting of the Games.
"The Games no doubt is a great challenge for us. But by 2010 we will be ready to host the Games in a big way, even bigger than the 2002 Manchester Games.
"This will give a boost to investment in India. Delhi's face will change. Tourism and other ancillary sectors will flourish.
"The Games will showcase India's potential not only to Commonwealth countries but also to the whole world."
It will be only the second time that the Games would be held in Asia; Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur hosted the Games in 1998.
With a population of more than 1.2 billion, India is the largest country in the Commonwealth.
