Delhi's 2010 Commonwealth Games chief tried to smooth over an increasingly heated row Monday by thanking the head of the parent movement for his “great support”. This month has seen a public war of words between Suresh Kalmadi, chairman of Delhi's organising committee, and the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF). Kalmadi called for Delhi-based CGF chief executive Mike Hooper to be removed, saying of the New Zealander: “He is of no use to us.” But CGF president, Michael Fennell, already critical of the pace of preparations for the Oct. 3-14 Games, dismissed Kalmadi's demand and said the “personal attack on Hooper was unwarranted”. Both Kalmadi and Fennell are in London this week where, Thursday, the Queen's Baton Relay, the curtain-raiser to next year's Games, gets underway with a Buckingham Palace ceremony forming part of the state visit to Britain by Indian President Pratibha Patil. In a statement issued here Monday lauding Indo-British cooperation and added: “Of course, we have had the great support of the Commonwealth Games Federation President Mr Fennell.” Among those also taking part in Thursday's ceremony will be India's Olympic shooting gold medalist Abhinav Bindra, 1983 cricket World Cup-winning captain Kapil Dev and tennis player Sania Mirza.
