´óÏó´«Ã½

little bit disappointed, no mention of how the Opening ceremony was ?
BTW for what its worth I think it was the best ever.

nice article, enjoyed reading it. your blog is refreshing to read.

John, loved reading your article. How I agree with every word you wrote. I feel embarrassed that our athletes have pulled out. I feel they are missing out on one of great competitions.

Brand...agent... sounds like as if we are buying some supermarket product...

Very good blog John. I think you hit the nail on the head. These athletes who are now 'concentrating' on bigger events will just end up not qualifying for these 'big' events.

John, you have pretty much summed up the feeling of a nation, or for that matter any nation.

Your aptly written statement "Please come to our country, please accept us, we want to be your friends." has a lot of depth, only if people really understand it. I truly think these athletes have missed something great, They have missed the chance to be part of a spectacle that is India. Let me tell one and all - in years to come India will NOT forget those who came and those who DIDN'T. It wasn't for no reason when someone said life comes a full circle and for those who have disregarded true Indian hospitality will wish they had not done this.

For India and especially the young Indians who have felt pain (because of the media or the mismanagement or the corruption), very well done there for the opening ceremony. The games will also be a great success. Rise and shine the future is yours. India was never known for these bureaucrats, its the common citizen (rich or poor) of the nation that makes India what she is.

Some people are easily impressed. Frankly, I find all these Opening Ceremonies childish as each nation tries to better another through a spectacle. I hope come the 2012 Olympics, the Opening Ceremony will be unpretentious & full of things which will go wrong in a funny way, thus highlighting Britain's strength: its eccentricity!
Aman/Mahatma? Do you read me?

Good one, John. Thoughtfully well written! I agree with the premise; that the brand is tarnished and diminished by those who withdrew.
Unless there's overwhelming pressure by the competing nations to force their athletes to participate, and as you point out there is leverage via funding, then we can expect more of this in Glasgow. Pity!

john!
You seem quite mesmerized and awestruck from the intense visual and colourful experience that you just witnessed!
wish I were there too!

Scotland will be good too in 2014!

Hail commonwealth!

At every Commonwealth Games I can remember, which is many, there is talk of them being devalued by the non-appearance of certain athletes but nobody remembers this when you look at the history records. It is the winners who are remembered and those who didn't go will have the regrets.

What I cannot understand is for those who are in Delhi, deciding not to attend the opening ceremony. Watching and enjoying the ceremony on television it would appear not many Scottish athletes were there and this seems confirmed by the photograph above. Certainly not in comparison with countries sending similar sized teams to the games like New Zealand or indeed Wales with a smaller team. Was this a reaction to the hissy-fit the Scottish team management seem to take regarding the arrangements for the opening ceremony? Someone should remind them it's the "Friendly Games" as they're getting a reputation.

Jamie Murray writing on the ´óÏó´«Ã½ website yesterday was extolling the virtues of the Opening Ceremony and his determination to attend even though scheduled to play on Monday. That didn't happen, in fact according to his twitter he didn't even watch the ceremony on tv, preferring the Ryder Cup.

I wonder if they can get a refund on all those kilts which weren't required.

Perhaps John before criticising those who have withdrawn you should educate yourself as to why they have withdrawn rather than just rolling out a soundbite about their funding.

The fact is our top stars are funded to perform at Olympics & World Champs and not the Commonwealth Games so it's irrelevant. That's why Chris Hoy & our other top cyclists have withdrawn as they have to concentrate on the European Champs which are a qualification event for London 2012. The top Gymnasts are also not here because the Gymnastics world champs are just a week after the Delhi Games & again it's acting as a qualification event for the Olympics.

The top athletes who have withdrawn like Jessica Ennis & Usain Bolt have done so because of the timing of the event as it will eat into their training times. Those two will be under enormous pressure in London - in Jessica's case as the best chance of a home Olympic Gold medallist in track & Field and in Bolt's case to set world records every time he steps out. The armchair critics would be the first to criticise if they under achieve in London so let's just back off.

Good article John. I will note down the names of all athletes who pulled out and follow their performances in world championships and London 2012. I am sure that from The games in Delhi new champions will be born and will have enough motivation to do well in London 2012.

Tiger Rose,if you look at the photo above you will see the flag bearer is Ross Edgar who I believe is one of our top cyclists and obviously has not withdrawn, anyway London 2012 is 2 years away, plenty of time to qualify.
I think John has a valid point about credibility especially for Scottish athletes, taking into account Glasgow 2014, actions speak louder than words.
Well done to ALL athletes and officials in Delhi, I'm sure it will be amazing.

Why don't the governing bodies that provide money for these athletes stipulate the tournaments that they 'MUST' attend to get their money. Only an independant doctor should allow non attendance.

I watched the opening ceremony and despite it being colourful it looks like the wind has been taken out of it. like an average carnival with street performers and so so choregraphy it does not have any real emotion or technical brilliance like we saw at the Olympics.

"athletes competing on the first or second days are not allowed to take part in the opening ceremony as is custom as it is thought it hinders their performances, thus no David Carry etc"

Good morning John.

"Not allowed" sounds draconian but probably in keeping with the Team Scotland regime. This law obviously doesn't apply to other countries as David Davies not only attended the opening ceremony but was the Welsh flag bearer and I've just watch him beat the aforementioned David Carry in their heat of the 400m freestyle.

Perhaps a rethink is required as there may be benefits from attending the ceremony in absorbing the atmosphere of the games which certainly seems to be lacking at the pool.

cracking Article, the commonwealth games should always be a major event in any sportsmans life!

ultimate opening in our country created History in Common Wealth games & its unbelievable - Pround be an Indian - Jai Hind.

20. At 09:18am on 04 Oct 2010, vipan dhand wrote:
ultimate opening in our country created History in Common Wealth games & its unbelievable - Pround be an Indian - Jai Hind.

I totally agree, India has every right to be proud. The opening ceremony was spectacular and I only hope when the games come to Scotland, we can put on a matching display.
I watched the opening Bowls Triples match this morning between India and Australia. The Indians acquitted themselves very well and it was only their inexperience that cost them the game. They will improve as the games go on.

This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.

ian cheese, you sound like a 'frog in a well', narrow and limited in outlook and reach. Jump from one side to other and claim that you know it all and that is all that exists. Its just that you are ignorant mate and honestly, you are making fool of yourself.

23. At 2:09pm on 04 Oct 2010, Ravi wrote:
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Ravi,
Oh my goodness gracious me! Where are you coming from?

You can only resort to insults. That reflects an uneducated & unrefined mind. Where are your arguments before your conclusions i.e. I am a 'frog in a well', narrow & limited in outlook & reach, jumping from one side to other, etc. To begin with, you have not addressed what I said! eg. the monkeys having a role, after all Hanuman is one of the Monkey gods! What really defines the true India, etc. You do not represent the majority of Indians because they will heartily agree with what I say.

18. At 06:08am on 04 Oct 2010, John Beattie - ´óÏó´«Ã½ Sport wrote:

...There isn't much wrong with a world where people are asking to be accepted by the privileged.
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Aye, but it shouldn't be the case that the privileged have no legitimate say because they are privileged.
In any case, I am only a humble Bus driver.

Ian Cheese, Where are you coming from mate? and What do you know about India? Just that it was a British Colony as that is what you were taught? And now you find it difficult to digest that soon your former colony will out-pace you? I am resorting to insult? you might want to read your comments again. At least I am not trying to run-down a whole country and belittle their efforts and achievements.

You can do better with your 'Educated and refined' mind than that.

26. At 3:32pm on 04 Oct 2010, Ravi wrote:
... at least I am not trying to run-down a whole country and belittle their efforts and achievements.
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My dear Ravi,

You got the wrong end of the stick mate!
How was I trying to run down a whole country & belittle their efforts & achievements?
I simply said that some humour & humanity in the proceedings would have endeared the rest of the world to India! I wished the Pandas could have taken Central stage in China during the Olympics in 2008. I think the Monkeys would have been wonderful for India, specially as they have been rounded up & caged. Or would you have preferred the Cows or the Cobras-some defining image of India! After all, the Indians regard the Monkeys & Cows as sacred, I don't know about Cobras, you have to enlighten me here. Please, don't regard this as an insult because no one does except you & your ilk.

I am only a Bus driver, was hoping that you had a more refined & educated mind.

27. At 3:33pm on 04 Oct 2010, John Beattie - ´óÏó´«Ã½ Sport wrote:
Ian Cheese - I am only a former rugby player. To have released the monkeys would have been fun.

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Listen 'ere, I'm not scared of yer jus 'cos you are a rugby player, bigger than I am! You jocks ain't succeedin at rugby either!
Don't fink you can 'ave 'andled those monkeys if they 'ave been let loose!

This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.

Ian cheese: You can only resort to insults. That reflects an uneducated & unrefined mind. Where are your arguments before your conclusions i.e. I am a 'frog in a well', narrow & limited in outlook & reach, jumping from one side to other, etc. To begin with, you have not addressed what I said! eg. the monkeys having a role, after all Hanuman is one of the Monkey gods! What really defines the true India, etc. You do not represent the majority of Indians because they will heartily agree with what I say.
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Ian please dont mind at Ravi's reply. I think he just interpreted you in a different sense altogether and not in the lighter and a more humane animal friendly manner. I do understand where you're coming from and fully support your views. I myself found those langurs guarding the village boundary really cute and it only shows to what length the people of this country are going to ensure people in the village are happy and fine.
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Now on a different note, Ive been following the blogs ,and ´óÏó´«Ã½ in general, pretty closely and I have to admit that ´óÏó´«Ã½ is a little indifferent towards India. We all know and admit the opening ceremony was truely great and in fact greater because the last few weeks had set wrong precedents for the entire CWG preparations and I wonder how badly the morale of the thousands of volunteers must have got affected. Despite all those odds, they still managed to come out with such a grand and an almost perfect opening ceremony is really commendable. I as a citizen was hiding in shame and in utter disgust over the last few weeks revelations about India's unpreparedness. ´óÏó´«Ã½ and also some 'well educated western journalists' always try their best to portray India in a manner which is low and objectionable to any Indian as it would be to any patriotic national anywhere in the world. But I want to highlight one fact and that is ´óÏó´«Ã½ always concentrates on the bad part first or even if they show the good part , they end it up with the bad part every single time. e.g. yesterday, the ´óÏó´«Ã½ reporter, despite hailing the ceremony, pointed out and played video of a group in which 2 girls fell down as they could not balance properly because of their heavy attire.
But despite all this, what I like the best is that a common 'Non Indian' realises this fact and is more far reasonable in its thinking. My appeal to ´óÏó´«Ã½ and the rest (incl. Indian media sometimes), please dont be judgemental, you've got to look at the bigger picture and come out of this stereotypical mindset about India being a third world country. Let me tell you, India is rising and trying its best, albeit all the myriad issues like corruption, poverty, energy/water crisis etc, to come out of the closet. Please let it rise, dont shame it, guide it if you want to.

I'm confident that the games will finish off well without any major issues and after that we have tasks to sort out and sure we will fight each and everybody who almost collapsed the entire CWG and the country's image.

31. At 7:15pm on 04 Oct 2010, Varun wrote:
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Dear Varun,

Thank you kindly for your contribution.
I don't think anyone is against India.
1. The officials responsible for not getting things shipshape & on time for the CWG should have come clean immediately & apologised, & not offered excuses. That would have neutralised the criticisms immediately. One cannot defend the indefensible. We are all fallible, some more so than others, the point is to make amends, move on & try to perform better;
2. The major issue for many people is the poor hygiene standards in India, this certainly needs major improvements;
3. The gods, animals & traditions of India eg. snake charming are its most endearing qualities.

Dear John,

I would imagine that you are better off using an auto rickshaw, or even better, a hired taxi for a day (they are quite cheap compared to the UK), as it would be the most convenient and quick method of moving about in Delhi. Don't try driving yourself though :-).
Also, the metro trains are very comfortable, but I am not sure they still have all the stations operational to get you where you want to go. Good Luck!!

''England women's hockey coach Danny Kerry slammed Commonwealth Games organisers after his team were forced to play in baking and 'dangerous' 40-degree temperatures''

Give up guys what do you expect when you got play in different country. I hope they might not ask for indoor hockey stadium with air conditioning.
Haaaaaaaaaaaa Bloody whimps