December 8 - Vijay Goel (pictured), the leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has been sacked from the organising committee of next year's Commonwealth Games in New Delhi after he organised a fun run to protest about delays in building facilities and claimed that the project was riddled with corruption.   

 

Suresh Kalmadi, the chairman of the organising committee and President of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), said that Goel had been sacked "for indiscipline" following the event which saw hundreds of people run from Dhyan Chand Stadium to the head office of the Games organising committee at Jantar Mantar.

 

A spokesman for Kalmadi, who is a member of the ruling Indian National Congress party, said: "It was unbecoming of an organising committee member to demonstrate with 1,000 people outside the Games headquarters.

 

"Goel not only led the demonstrators but also shouted slogans against the organising committee.

 

"His conduct has lowered the dignity of the organising committee.

 

"This is not the right platform to voice your concerns.

 

"If he had issues with the way the organising committee is functioning, he could have met the chairman and other senior members and discussed the problems.”

 

Goel, a former Indian Sports Minister, claimed that the organising committee had acted in a "dictatorial" way.

 

He said: "What is wrong in raising such critical issues on a public forum?

 

"I, as a member, have every right to ask the organising committee about how it is spending the taxpayer's money.

 

"There is no accountability in the organising committee.

 

"Nobody is doing anything to see that crucial games projects get completed on time.”

 

"I was the Union Sports Minister when India bid for the Commonwealth Games 2003."

 

Goel claimed that he feared organisers were not getting ready fast enough for the Games.

 

He said: "[The] organising committee is yet to recruit the 30,000 volunteers.

 

"When will it train the volunteers?"

 

Goel also claimed that, in the rush to finish the project on time, there was no financial scrutiny, which was leading to corruption.

 

He said: "Is anybody monitoring how the organising committee is spending its budget?

 

"In the name of the Games they are just getting the budget sanctioned."

 

 

Related stories

December 2009: Run held to protest against Delhi Commonwealth Games delays

December 2009: Indian Government accused of corruption over Commonwealth Games
November 2009: I fear Commonwealth Games facilities will be sub-standard, admits IOA vice-president
September 2009: Commonwealth Games venue will miss deadline claims archery boss
May 2009: Fear of corruption at 2010 Commonwealth Games