Bridge collapse plunges Delhi Games into 11th-hour crisis

THE Delhi Commonwealth Games were plunged into crisis yesterday, 12 days from the start after the athletes’ village was described as “uninhabitable” and a footbridge collapsed at the main stadium.

Adding to the sense of chaos that has enveloped an event India hoped would project its new economic power on the international stage, a leading Australian athlete pulled out of the competition because of security fears.

Organisers scrambled to contain the damage, fearful that a pullout by a major team could wreck the October 3-14 games.