Kalmadi, the chairman of the local organising committee, insisted that Delhi officials had not backed down in their row with the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) but that there had been "give and take" from both sides.

 

A public had erupted last month between Kalmadi and Mike Hooper, the chief executive of the CGF, which led to crisis talks in London after the start of the Queen's Baton Relay.

 

Kalmadi, however, refused to divulge what transpired between him and Mike Fennell, the President of the CGF, in London on the controversial issues of setting up an independent review panel and role of Hooper.

 

In an interview broadcast on CNN-IBN, Kalmadi, who is also the President of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), denied that he had backed down. 

 

He said: "No, that’s not correct.

 

"For both sides it was give and take.

 

"Finally, we reached an agreement and we had a joint statement and the matter is over.

 

"The Games are more important.

 

"Whatever differences were there between IOA and the CGF were sorted out in a meeting between Fennell and the IOA.

 

"It was give and take on both sides and we have reached a total agreement.”

 

"I don’t want to discuss any of the issues between the CGF and us because that's the understanding that we have reached.

 

"We both are not going to talk about it."

 

Among the things that Kalmadi refused to talk about was the setting up of a technical review panel by the CGF.

 

He said: "I don't want to discuss about it because we have resolved the issue.

 

"There is a Coordination Commission which is coming [next month] and all the decisions will be taken after that and we will have another meeting with Mike Fennell and all these things will be decided.

 

"If I have conceded anything, it’s in the interest of the Games and for the country.

 

"As far as Mike Hooper is concerned, we have had discussion with Mike Fennell and both sides there's give and take.

 

"I have not taken a step back."

 

Kalmadi also insisted that the Games, the largest event to be held in India since the 1982 Asian Games, will be a big success.

 

He said: "The Government has given full support to the Games and they are going to be great Games.

 

"What is required for the Games to be successful, we have done it and there is no controversy between the CGF and the Indian Olympic Association."

 

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]

 

 

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