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Commonwealth Games 2010 Delhi is a Huge Success By hosting the games successfully, India had shown to the world that it can also host Olympics . The opening ceremony held at J awaharlal NehruStadium New Delhi was very colorful, and succeeded to show Indian culture and traditions in near perfect conditions. The games began on October 3 rd with a fabulous opening ceremony on a very good note, and ended on October 14 th with an extravagant culturalclosing ceremony at the Nehru Stadium in Delhi with the delight presence of guests including Mike Fennell, the president of comm onwealth games

federation. The dignitaries who attended the opening ceremony include president of India Pratibha Patil, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, and PrinceCharles, who attended as representative of commonwealth head-Queen Elizabeth II, the organizing committee Chairman, Suresh Kalmadi. W hilepraising India for organizing successful event Mike Fennell said, µgames ceremonies would be a cherishing experience ever¶ The venues were of high standard, and the facilities provided to athletes and officials for accommodation were also quite impressive. The Games wereorganized in a safe and orderly manner, and all were according to the rules and bye-laws of international federations. Training centers wereconstructed scientifically, and were well planned. The players who came from various countries were satisfied with the facilities provided to them inIndia. Almost all sports leaders and dignitaries of foreign countries praised India for its excellent arrangements of accommodation, food and transport. the credit for the success of the games must go to the authorities including the staff and security forces. Spectators who watched the events silentlywithout creating chaos and confusion were also eligible t o get credit. They warmly welcomed the games, and showed great enthusiasm throughout theevent. Most importantly the athletes, who participated in the games showed their sporty spirit and passion towards the games.Ultimately, successful organization of the games proved that India has the capability to hold such games in future. Times of India:

an overwhelming majority of the foreign media is singing praises - some fulsome, a few grudging - about the way theGames were overall conducted. The latest headlines are: Delhi's Commonwealth showing a winner, after all (Vancouver Sun) and CWG2010: India has every right to be proud after torrid build-up (Daily Telegraph), Games 2010 finish with Indiatriumphant (Guardian) and Delhi bellyachers the losers as Games overcome hurdles in strong finish (Sydney MorningHerald). Sydney Morning Herald even carried an online poll; the question being, Would you rate the Delhi Games a success?81% said yes Randy Starkman of Toronto Star, writes, "Just as Canada is dominated by hockey and everything else is a distantsecond, the same applies to India and cricket. But at these Games so many new heroes were born for India, such asthe women's 4x400-metre relay team. Already, there is talk of India going after an Olympics. That would have been laughed off before the Games started,and rightly so. But they've likely put themselves back in the running by pulling this off in good fashion. "Obviously, they're going to have to ramp up their organizational resources and improve their preparation andplanning to have any shot at it. But Rio's got the 2016 Olympics and it could be argued these Games were moreimpressive than the 2007 Pan Ams staged in Brazil." John Mackinnon also writes in the Vancouver Sun, "Having covered the Pan American Games in Rio, which thatequally problematic city leveraged into a successful Olympic bid, it seems fair to say that Delhi's organizational effortwas in many ways superior to Rio's." John Mackinnon also writes in the Vancouver Sun, "Having covered the Pan American Games in Rio, which thatequally problematic city leveraged into a successful Olympic bid, it seems fair to say that Delhi's organizational effortwas in many ways superior to Rio's." Jessica Halloran writes in the Australian newspaper Courier Mail, "In the end we all were in love with India - they were gracious hosts - but we never fell for the Games' organising committee. Ask any Delhiite and they would speak about the shame this bungling, bumbling and self-serving committee had brought upon them. But the people of India,their goodwill and their kindness, triumphed over the OC's chaos and corruption in the end. Somehow it all cametogether." London-based newspaper Daily Telegraph was one of the most vicious critics of the Games. Jacquelin Magnay writesin the same newspaper, "Such was the low expectations of a struggling and ineffectual organising committee, fuelledby the betel-nut stains on lavatory bowls, piles of rubble and unfinished construction at the athletes' village two weeksbefore the opening ceremony, the Games were going to be a success if they started, and a huge success if they finished."

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Nonetheless, the newspaper also admits, "The Indians have a right to feel warm about their justified claims that theGames were happy and reasonably well run, amid the country's bigger social and economic struggles." It also quotes Kelly Holmes , president of Commonwealth Games England, as saying that athletes who withdrew before the Games might well be regretting their decision. BBC: The Games overcame concerns on security and infrastructure to end with a lively closing ceremony, as the hosts'mantle was officially passed to Glasgow 2014. "Delhi has performed," said Fennell. "The competition has gone well, the venues were of a high standard and theathletes are happy."We had to deal with a number of issues but the end result has been good."Fennell conceded that the decision to award the Games to Delhi had been questioned in many quarters aspreparations fell behind schedule. There were serious problems with the athletes' village and certain venues, while other setbacks included acollapsed pedestrian footbridge, ticketing confusion, poor crowds and big-name withdrawals.But Fennell maintained that Delhi deserved the chance to stage its first multi-sport event since the 1982 AsianGames and insisted it had proved a worthy host.

"Before the Games people were asking me 'why are you going to India? Why are you going to Delhi? When are yougoing to cancel the Games?'," he said."But we felt it was our job to fix what was wrong not give up. A year out from the Games people asked 'what isyour Plan B?' I said 'our Plan B is Delhi'."I don't blame the media for exposing what had to be exposed. It was important to expose some of thefundamental problems and that helped. It helped us to get action going in some areas. The ceremony followed a day of competition in which India won a late badminton gold to leapfrog England intosecond place in the final medals table.India's athletes performed beyond all expectations, with highlights including a memorable triumph for theirwomen's 4x400m relay team and 10 wrestling golds.