Since the vocal attack on the standard of the Village, an army of workers has been deployed to clean the apartments and make them fit for occupation.

However, the news that a poisonous snake had been found in a room just hours after a three-and-a-half foot cobra was seen slithering down a drain in the tennis stadium has left many, particularly South Africa’s High Commissioner Harris Mbulelo, extremely worried.

"We have very grave concerns," he said.

"If snakes are found, we can’t ask our teams to stay there.

"It is really a threat to the lives of all our athletes."

But Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit dismissed the incident, promising that the 8,000 capacity Village will be fully ready on Wednesday just four days before the Opening Ceremony on October 3.

Dikshit said: "We inherited a very difficult situation but it’s improving almost by the hour.

"Everybody has been told to work double time and we will do it."

Dikshit also took a swipe at Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) chief executive Mike Hooper following the New Zealander’s criticism of the Delhi 2010 organisers saying he had made "a very unkind and undiplomatic remark".

However, CGF President Mike Fennell leapt to the defence of Hooper, who claimed earlier this week that India "just did not understand, or seem to accept the magnitude of the problem".

Fennell stated that Hooper (pictured) had faced a "vicious and totally unwarranted attack" from the media.

Fennell said: "Far from any emotive commentary, Mr Hooper merely stated the fact that the responsibility for delivering and operating the Games lies with authorities in India, as per the host city contract."

The Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games was set to be an opportunity for India to portray itself as a rising global power, but constant fears over health and safety, allegations of corruption and high profile boycotts appear to have put paid to those plans.

Instead, India faces a major struggle to host a successful Games, with soaring costs for the event having reached an estimated £10 billion ($16 billion) in a city plagued by frequent power cuts and choked, potholed roads.

Contact the writer of this story [email protected]


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