Indian Olympic Association president Suresh Kalmadi said that Canada has apologized to India for questioning New Delhi’s selection as host of the 2010 Commonwealth Games.
Kalmadi told reporters, “they were initially disappointed after losing the race and the allegations were just on the spur of the moment. But their minister later apologized for the episode”.
The row started when, following Hamilton’s defeat, Jagoda Pike, head of the Hamilton bid delegation, claimed that India had acted unethically by offering cash at the last minute.
She said, “I think the big surprise is the introduction of the cash to all of the voting countries at the last minute. That has really blurred the whole issue on whether they won on merit or if it was simply an issue of cash for votes”.
But Louise Martin told the British newspaper The Telegraph, that “there was nothing untoward or wrong that the Indians did. It was all above board and as per our rules”.
According to the newspaper, in September, when bids were first lodged, Delhi promised to pay for the travel and accommodation of all the teams. Hamilton’s bid document made no mention of this, but then the Canadians suddenly updated their bid saying they would match Delhi.
In the run-up to the vote, Delhi, as permitted under the rules, revised their travel offer to make it much more generous and informed the Commonwealth Games Federation prior to the announcement.
At the presentation Hamilton confessed they could not match the Indians offer of $7.2 million for training of athletes from member countries, but offered to provide training scholarships worth $3.8 million. But under the rules of the Commonwealth Games Federation they should have informed the federation executive before making the announcement, which they did not. Martin said, “yes, they broke the rules”.
