Delhi Games slow in security planning: CGF consultant

It is not just the stadiums, even the security arrangements for the Delhi Commonwealth Games are running behind schedule as the Indian authorities were a "bit slow" in their planning, a security consultant of the Commonwealth Games Federation has claimed.

Neil Fergus -- the chief executive of Intelligent Risks, which has been advising the CGF on security in sporting events for over six years, feels the October 3 to 14 Delhi Games have to work a lot to become truly secure.

"As (federation) chief executive (Mike Hooper) has said on a number of occasions, there is a lot more work to be done between now and the ... Commencement of the Games (on October 3)," Fergus told the 'Sydney Morning Herald'.

Fergus said Intelligent Risks reviewing security planning for the Delhi Games under an agreement between the CGF, the organising committee and the Indian government.

Fergus said his company has been doing extra work because, "(Indian authorities) were a bit slow in getting the planning up to the level that was expected and in fact required under the technical plan ... Given to each host city."

"There's been good progress. But when you start as late as has happened on this occasion it all becomes quite a rush. We have another scheduled CGF review in early September. We're focused on some of the key issues in terms of delivery at that time," he said.

The Delhi Games have been hit by allegations of corruption and shoddy construction work in the past few weeks but Fergus said the organisers are doing all they can to make the event a success.

"There's no cast-iron guarantees about terrorism anywhere on this planet. They are doing everything that's possible to deliver a safe and secure Games environment. I really do believe that they are absolutely serious in leaving no stone unturned to try to deliver a safe and secure Games.

"There's no such thing as a faultless international major event because the scale and complexity of it is such ... That that's just not achievable. There are too many people involved," he said.