Thaindian News

New Delhi, Oct 2 (IANS) Happy with the security arrangements for the Oct 3-14 Commonwealth Games, Australian sports minister Mark Arbib said Saturday his country’s athletes should have no worries about the situation.

Arbib had a first hand experience of security Friday when his car was stopped from entering the Games Village. On Saturday again he was forced to walk for a kilometre without any security after his car that had a diplomatic number plate was prevented by the security personnel from entering the Main Press Centre (MPC).

The 39-year-old Arbib, instead of creating a fuss, lauded the efforts of the security men and walked towards the MPC with a couple of delegates from his country.

Arbib told IANS that he was extremely happy with the security arrangements in place for the Games and athletes need not worry.

“There is no need to worry for the athletes. The Indian government is not taking chances with security for the Games,” he said.

Arbib has always been apprehensive about the security for the Games, but now from his personal experience he looks satisfied.

“My car was stopped a kilometre away from the entrance and I am perfectly fine with it. This shows that security is top class for the Games and the Indian government has taken every possible step to assure that the security of the athletes is not compromised,” he said.

Arbib also felt that the VIPs and VVIPs should not get any preferences and no car should be allowed inside venues and the Games Village without being checked.

“I read somewhere that even the Home Minister (P. Chidambaram) was frisked yesterday at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. I feel there shouldn’t be any preferences for anybody. All cars should be checked and only then they should be allowed to enter the venues,” he said.

Asked if he was happy with the security at the venues, Arbib said: “I haven’t been to the venues, but after what I experienced at the Village and the MPC, I guess everything should be fine.”