English Athletes To Get Delhi Go-ahead

English athletes are set to be given the thumbs-up to travel to Delhi for the 2010 Commonwealth Games in October.

Speculation had been mounting that the English team would pull out of the Games in India due to security fears after terrorist attacks earlier this month.

But Commonwealth Games England (CGE) is set to inform all its sports governing bodies that the team will definitely be travelling to India.

SportIndustry.biz revealed exclusively last month in an interview with Duncan Lewis, the strategic marketing and commercial lead for Commonwealth Games England, that the team will be travelling to Delhi.

‘We will be there with our largest ever team overseas. There have been one or two articles to the contrary but there is absolutely no substance in them whatsoever. We have sought all the advice we should and spoken to all the experts we should be speaking to, we will carry on doing that, but there is no doubt that we will be there,’ said Lewis.

Sir Andrew Foster, the chairman of CGE has moved to reaffirm Lewis’ comments: ‘England’s intention is to compete at the Games and we are currently making arrangements to create the best possible environment for success in Delhi.’

The Commonwealth Games open on the 3rd October and security issues were raised again recently when bomb blasts injured 15 people before an Indian Premier League cricket match in Bangalore on 17th April.

Athletes are also set to be told that if they are picked for the team they will be free to withdraw if they do not wish to take part in the Games.