By Tom Degun

altSeptember 23 - Wales have revealed that they are set to compete at the Commonwealth Games after the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) received assurances from the Delhi Organising Committee that all the venues and the Village is fit for purpose but Team Sky’s Isle of Man cyclist Peter Kennaugh has withdrawn from the event.



Welsh officials had given a deadline of 1700 BST yesterday when they must hear from the Delhi Organising Committee and the CGF and warned that the nation’s team would not travel to India if their concerns were not addressed.

Indian officials have been under intense pressure over the last few days with the appalling state of the Athlete’s Village causing a number of countries, including England, to admit they may be forced to pull out of the event altogether.

But Wales have claimed that the deadline they set has been adhered to and their concerns addressed by the relevant parties.

A Team Wales statement said: "Further to the statement issued by Team Wales yesterday [we] would like to advise that the Commonwealth Games Federation has received assurances from the Delhi 2010 Organising Committee that all venues and village are fit for purpose.

"We are confident in the assurances that have been provided.

"The advance party will now be moving into our accommodation and we look forward to welcoming our athletes in the coming days."

But hopes in Delhi that the announcement from Wales signalled the start of an upturn in their fortunes in the disastrous build-up to the event and therefore will be distraught to learn that cyclist Kennaugh, a strong contender for both track and road medals in Delhi, has pulled out of the Games.

Kennaught, who follows Australia’s world discus champion Dani Samuels and English world triple jump gold medallist Phillips Idowu in withdrawing from the Games this week due to security fears, insisted that he had absolutely no pressure put on him by Team Sky to make the decision but was simply worried about the event and the poor standard of the Athlete’s Village.

"I have been worried about the situation in New Delhi for sometime, particularly since the Dengue fever situation became apparent a couple of weeks ago” said Kennaugh today at the Manchester Veldrome," he told the Daily Telegraph.

"Then just recently we have seen the picture from the Village and that made my mind up for me.

"I have spoken to the British coaches and Sky people because it has been a worry on my mind but they put me under no pressure and reiterated that it was entirely my call.

"It’s absolutely my own decision."

The news comes shortly after New Zealand became the latest country, following Canada and Scotland, to delay the arrival of its athletes in Delhi for the event which is due to begin on October 3.

All three nations have expressed they are still "hopeful" of participating in the 2010 Commonwealth Games while the announcement from Wales, and the news that England are set to send their first group of athletes out Delhi today, has boosted the chances of the trio competing at the event.

altMike Fennell, the President of the CGF, arrived in the Indian capital today to inspect facilities and was met by Suresh Kalmadi (pictured), the chairman of the Organinsing Committee who is being blamed for most of the problems.

The Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games have faced a barrage of criticism over last few days following the problems with the Athlete’s Village, the collapse of a footbridge on Tuesday linking the main stadium to a car park and high profile boycotts.

The president of the New Zealand Olympic Committee (NZOC) Mike Stanley had stated that the conditions in Athlete’s Village were "tremendously disappointing" while Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard asked "Australians to exercise a high degree of caution in India" but India’s Foreign Minister S.M Krishna has promised that things will still be ready on time for the start of the Games.

Krishna said: "Let me assure you on behalf of the Government of India and the people of India that we will see to it that the Commonwealth Games are conducted according to international standards, and the athletes who come to participate in these Games will feel quite happy about their conditions."

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