England's involvement in 2010 Commonwealths still far from decided

COMMONWEALTH Games England were quick to distance themselves from reports that they were considering withdrawing their team from next year's Commonwealth Games in Delhi.

SECURITY: Environmentalists say all-round construction activity for next year's Commonwealth Games 2010 has generated massive pollution and is contributing to the day time haze (Getty Images)

However, authors of today's report in the Daily Telegraph are hardly unknown stringers looking for some 'above the fold' action while the newsdesk slumbers on a holiday rota and their work shouldn't be quickly dismissed, despite the strongly-worded denial.

Holly Watt was a key part of the team that broke the MP expenses scandal while deputy political editor Robert Winnett was formerly an award-winning investigative journalist at the Sunday Times.

There is no doubt there still remains very real security fears about the Games both from team officials - and, more importantly, athletes.

Major multi-sport events rely heavily on busing athletes, officials and journalists from venue to venue.

And last year's attack on the Sri Lanka cricket team coach, as it travelled under police guard to the Lahore Test in Pakistan, underlined it's situation terrorists will willing target.

Transportation outside the protected bubble of Games venues, the athletes' village and official hotels is the soft underbelly of any security plan and the Delhi Police, despite their outward confidence, know it.

Venues can be secured, although the Indian authorities did a pretty poor job of this during this year's World Badminton Championships, but what about the swathes of the city that will be covered by hundreds of these buses?

MAKING HEADLINES: Today's front page in London's Daily Telegraph newspaper sparked a denial from Commonwealth Games England

Many leading British athletes - including Jessica Ennis, Beth Tweddle, Dan Keatings and Kelly Sotherton - have already said they won't travel, although all have publicly stated this is because they have alternative competition commitments, rather than security fears.

But privately athletes are worried, so are their families, and they won't need much of an excuse not to travel.

However, Indian authorities were quick to claim today that all countries involved in next year's Games were ‘satisfied'.

Australia, who have been the most cautious in committing their athletes, reacted quickly to the reports that England might withdraw.

The chief executive of their Commonwealth Games Association, Perry Crosswhite, has been highly-critical of the Games' organisation, which has also been mired in planning delays.

But today he was being supportive, although he claimed no Australian athlete would be punished if they made a personal choice not to attend.

"I was in Delhi two weeks ago and the security arrangements were well-organised and also had improved since we had seen them previously," he said.

"Also Australian government and our security advisers are certainly not recommending similar action for ourselves."

So a day of claim and counter claim but expect this story to run and run in 2010.

James Toney is the Managing Editor of national sports agency Sportsbeat and formerly the sports news correspondent at Sunday Business. He has covered six Olympic and three Commonwealth Games.

---

MORE BLOGS BY SPORTSBEAT'S JAMES TONEY

THE BEST OF 2009: Michael Phelps

Olympic ecstasy but not in the way you think

Is there really sound logic behind van Commenee's stiff targets? 

No moaning from the French as London unveil 2012 catering policy

---