The Commonwealth Games Federation president shrugged off concerns about the running track at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, where two sections of the back straight were damaged during Sunday’s Opening Ceremony.

After frantic overnight repair work Fennell promised: "There was some damage to the track and the in-field was in a poor condition, but the clean-up work has now been done.

"It was checked this morning by the technical delegate for the IAAF and he has informed us that all systems are go for athletics."

There remain concerns the track will not have had enough time to bed down in order to host a full-scale elite athletics competition, but Fennell remains optimistic that won’t be the case.

"I can only go by the advice of the technical delegate who has said that this is in good shape," he said.

"Unfortunately, when you have a ceremony on the same site as the athletics facilities you can have some damage.

"The protective measures you take do not guarantee there is no damage.”



Organising committee chairman Suresh Kalmadi also responded to criticism that repairs to the track had not been undertaken soon enough.

"Work on the track started the moment the Opening Ceremony was over," he said.

"There have been more than 1,000 people working on it and it will be fine in time for the competition."

The Games have come under continued criticism for the lack of ticket sales and the huge amounts of empty seats, but Kalmadi said India’s early success should start boosting attendances.

"This is still the start of the Games and now that India has won some gold medals more people will start attending," he said.

Problems with the athletics track are the latest in a line of organisational difficulties for Kalmadi, with complaints about filthy conditions, infrastructure problems and even a snake being found both in a competitor’s room and at the tennis stadium making international headlines.

There was also a bridge collapse outside the main stadium just weeks ago.

Kalmadi also inadvertently referred to Prince Charles’ wife Camilla Parker Bowles as Princess Dianna, who died tragically in a car accident in 1997.

"Yes, Princess Diana was there [at the Opening Ceremony]," said Kalmadi.

He then made an attempt to rescue the situation, adding: "Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall.

"Now they have gone off and they appreciated all the efforts made here."

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