The Games got under way in the Jharkhand capital on Saturday with a spectacular opening ceremony. However, according to The Times of India, media facilities did not work for hours, security check points were overwhelmed by spectator numbers and there were no tables or seats for the judges at the taekwondo competition.
Despite claims by Jharkhand Olympic Association president RK Anand that the Games had got off to a good start, Taekwondo Federation of India secretary general T Praveen Kumar was furious with the lack of facilities at his sport’s competition.
Kumar told reporters: “Only tall claims were made by organisers. What could be worse than judges not being provided with chairs for the matches?”
The National Games finally started on Saturday after being postponed six times due to incomplete infrastructure, but the latest news will further damage India’s event-hosting image after problems engulfed the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi.
