Hooper has continually voiced his fears that the Indian capital would not be ready in time for the Games, which are due to open on October 3 - most recently as two weeks ago.

But now the New Zealander has backed Delhi to put on a good show, although he has warned that Indian officials will need to work around the clock to make sure that they are ready in time.

He said: "Look, there is no denying that we voiced our concerns repeatedly over preparations for the Games.

"If you remember, Commonwealth Games Federation President Michael Fennell in December termed the delays in the completion of stadiums 'distressing'.

"By early this year he said there are 'some concerns' and last week he was satisfied with the progress.

"So things are improving for sure.

"The Games are going to take place from October 3-14 in India and there is no way the date or the venue is shifting.

"The deadlines have been revised several times and we have reached the stage when things are really tight.

"If that means, working 24 hours a day, so be it and the Organising Committee understands it."

Relations between Hooper and local officials - most notably Suresh Kalmadi, the President of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and head of the Games organising committee - at one point became so tense that they demanded he be sacked.

With that hurdle now overcome, Hooper has claimed the success of the various testing events of different disciplines, including the hockey World Cup, shows that things are back on track.

He said: "We have had test events in shooting, boxing, archery and the hockey World Cup and things are more or less ready at these venues.

"Whatever shortcoming are there we are working on them and that is precisely why we hold these pre-Games events to test the facilities.

"The hockey World Cup was a big success, even though it was an International Hockey Federation (FIH) event.

"I happened to see the preliminary FIH report after the event, pointing out some operational problems.

"We will work on them and that's how a mega event like the Commonwealth Games is organised."

But Hooper did express concern that the number of organisations involved in getting Delhi ready for the Games also needed to understand that they had a big part to play.

He said: "See, what can the OC (organising committee) alone do.

"There are various agencies like the DDA (Delhi Development Authority), SAI, CPWD (Central Public Works Department) which are involved in infrastructure building and they need to buck up.

"But things are looking up and the Games will be wonderful for the sports in India as well and they will also improve the connectivity in the capital tremendously.

"The new roads are being built and transport in the National Capital Territory is going to get a huge boost.

"I have been living in Delhi for close to two-and-a-half years and I have struggled in the traffic here.

"But things are already so much better now."

Hooper also claimed that fears over security among international teams had largely dissipated.

He said: "Security is in place.

"When the Chefs de Mission of 71 participating countries met here they were fully satisfied with the security cover.

"The CGF has its own agency looking after the security and it will be visiting India thrice before the Games.

"We talk of security being tight not to mislead anyone, we truly believe it is no longer an issue and there is no danger to life here."

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