Published>Tue, Sep 21 10 08:23 PM
Melbourne, Sep 21 (IANS) Australia's world champion discus thrower Dani Samuels has pulled out of the New Delhi Commonwealth Games, citing concerns over health and security.
Samuels' decision came after two tourists were injured in a shooting near Jama Masjid Sunday and the rampant spread of dengue fever in the Indian capital.
Also, senior New Zealand officials raised concerns over the poor state of the Games Village Tuesday.
'Dani is extremely distressed about it all,' the Australian media Tuesday quoted Samuels' manager Hayden Knowles as saying.
'The situation in Delhi has been bothering her for some time. But the events over the weekend made it real. She had prepared her whole season around winning this thing, she even knocked back some Diamond League meets because it affected her training.
'She called me last night and then met with her coach and she couldn't even bring herself to train because she felt so bad.'
She won the gold medal at the World Championships in Berlin last summer and became the first Australian to pull out over security fears.
Meanwhile, Australian Commonwealth Games officials said they are happy with the security measures at New Delhi.
Team chef de mission Steve Moneghetti dismissed reports of claims that there is an 80 percent risk of an attack during the Games.
'Our reports are not that high to be honest ... they're more like a 50-50 risk, that's of an indirect terrorism, so that's not Games related, that's for the city in general,' he said.
Australian opposition Leader Tony Abbott said he would like to see all of Australia's athletes attending the Games.
'I'd be very wary of giving the terrorists a win and the trouble if there were big pull-outs from these Games is that it would appear to give terrorism a win,' he said.
Source: Web Search
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