Snake in room adds to Commonwealth Games’ woes

TWO more Australian athletes withdrew yesterday and a South African competitor reportedly found a snake in his room as complaints over cleanliness, security and construction continued to dog the troubled Commonwealth Games a week before the sporting event opens in New Delhi.

While international sports officials have said the situation had improved dramatically in the athletes’ village over the past couple of days – after inspections last week turned up rooms spattered with chewing tobacco and human excrement – some teams said the situation remained grim.

Tuelo Serufho, head of the Botswana contingent, said his team’s rooms in the village were “unliveable for our athletes”, with filthy bedsheets, bathroom fixtures that did not work and construction debris yet to be cleared away.