Commonwealth Games not running to plan for our athletes

After Team Scotland raised concerns about the cleanliness of accommodation at Delhi's athletes' village, the sporting spectacle was hit by a fresh round of call-offs.

With competitors due to head out to India over the coming days there are fears that many of the venues will not be fit for purpose.

But sportsmen and women from Edinburgh and the Lothians are trying to focus on the job in hand, aiming not to be distracted by matters off the track and field.

Team Scotland have delayed their departure to India because of problems with the athletes' village, while other countries are waiting to make a decision.

With just days to go before the Games begin on October 3, some teams have complained that accommodation is "unfit for human habitation".

One source close to the Scottish team said the situation in Delhi was "pretty bad", but others vowed not to be distracted from the task in hand. Cyclist Kate Cullen, who is currently training in Manchester, is due to head out on September 30.

The 33-year-old, who lives in South Queensferry, won bronze at the last Commonwealth Games in Melbourne in 2006.

When asked about the state of the accommodation in Delhi, she said: "I have probably stayed in worse student accommodation in the UK. I'm just there to ride my bike - I've seen the velodrome and it looks pretty good."

And she said there was very little chance of Scotland's cyclists pulling out.

"We have to go - we've been training for this for a year, so it would be a major disappointment not to travel.

"The training has been going well and we've posted some really good times in the last week, so it should be a successful Games for us."

Dalkeith-based bowler David Peacock, who competed at the Commonwealth Games in both Manchester and Melbourne, said he had been impressed by the Indian facilities on a previous trip to Delhi.

The 40-year-old, who is competing in the bowls triples, said: "We were out there for ten days for an Eight Nation warm-up and the venue was great.

"The bowling venue was done. It was finished, just without seating, and it looked perfect.

"The team village we saw was also fine, better than Melbourne. It wasn't completely built, but it looked fine, and that was five months ago."

Problems with the facilities and accommodation in Delhi first emerged earlier this week.

Michael Cavanagh, chairman of Commonwealth Games Scotland, said: "Part of the village which we've been moved to, which was the latest part to be finished in a real hurry, is in a very poor condition and a poor state of maintenance.

"There have been dogs roaming around the village, the apartments are filthy, there are piles of rubble and right now it's not fit to receive 6500 athletes and officials, which is what is due to happen in seven days."

Indian officials have vowed that the facilities will meet international standards, despite health and security concerns.

So far a section of a false ceiling near the weightlifting area of the main stadium has fallen and a pedestrian bridge near the main stadium has collapsed, reportedly injuring 23 people.

Peter Nicolson, leader of the Scottish tennis team, said there were no concerns about the state of venues for his sport, but said athletes were waiting for updates about living quarters.

He said: "I was out in May and the tennis facility was just about finished.

"At this time, we've got no concerns about the state of the tennis venues. I went to the headquarters of the All India Tennis Association and it was being refurbished and upgraded - it's really quite an impressive venue."

He added: "We're getting daily feedback from those on the ground and clearly the accommodation was not satisfactory when they arrived.

"They're doing everything they can and we're reliant on them to keep us updated.

"It's frustrating, but we are encouraging the team to stay focused and asking them to rely on us to get things sorted."