Welcome to the village
My last assignment before the Commonwealth Games opening ceremony has been a filming trip inside the athletes' village.
I was shown round the Welsh quarters by Michaela Breeze who is hoping to bow out from her distinguished weightlifting career by lifting the gold in the 63kg category and, like most of the athletes now arriving for the Delhi experience, I was pleasantly surprised by the village.
It's not the best I've seen in terms of villages (at Olympics both winter and summer) and if you just had the keys handed to you by the builders you'd be scribbling down a snagging list as long as your arm.
But - and it is a very big but - the transformation in the last weeks has been nothing short of spectacular.
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I've spoken to officials from England, Scotland and Wales in the last week and they all described their feelings of disappointment on their arrival several weeks ago.
They've had to throw their front-line staff into the effort to prepare rooms to an acceptable standard for their athletes to move into and at the same time insist to their Indian hosts that they redouble their workload to get the job done.
The visiting teams have had to resort to a form of gunboat diplomacy in their dealings with the organisers.
In almost every big sporting event that I've experienced, careful tactics and talks behind closed doors are enough to get most problems sorted. Here the methods have been very different and going public with concerns has been distilled as the only way to get things done. It has not been easy for the hosts to have so much dirty laundry out in the open.
The result for the teams now is more than satisfactory - athletes are able to focus on the task of getting themselves prepared for competition and that should be the primary and - in my view - solitary job of any athlete village.
I'd forego the post office and the hairdresser, the florist and the souvenir shop and say that athletes need food and lodging and that's about it. Delhi has gone much, much further and most of what's on offer is getting rave reviews.
All the teams have a "flag-raising" ceremony and it was special to see how, on the one hand, protocol and discipline was scrupulously observed, before some excited schoolchildren - who had been practicing for weeks to do their part - added a proper slice of fun to the occasion.
It goes to show that for some people the excitement and the opportunity of the Games trumped everything else. It might be innocent or even naive but, given the last week, it was refreshing.
Let's hope the Games gets off to a flying start, the wrinkles that are left are ironed out and the sport at last can be the thing we are talking about.
Many thanks to our Welsh hosts. You can see more shots of the Wales team accommodation on their Facebook page - and there is even one of me holding a Welsh flag.
I said that I would support them throughout and I think one of their first battles is in women's hockey against New Zealand on Monday. Come on Wales!
~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~04~RS~)
In a previous life I won four gold medals at the Olympics between 1992 and 2004 and I now work at the BBC. Whilst I was part of the Beijing team for the BBC in the summer of 2008, my primary role is as reporter for 
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Though all major networks including the CNN acknowledged both Prince Charles and Indian President Pratibha Patil as people who opened CWG games, it was very shocking that a credible news outlet like BBC completely ignored President Pratibha Patil. BBC will definitely defend its position but it clearly shows the belief system, what is important and the very bias that exists even in reporting. Well CNN which I always thought was more biased came out much better and ahead in terms of how it reported and very clearly exhibits the thinking that prevails among us Americans and in the United States, well that explains many things.
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firstly I think India has pulled off a commendable finale,with all the media speculations of them not being able to put up a good show.
now its the turn of the media to show some respect for this great country.
bias reporting by the BBC is not acceptable, it was a joint inauguration and the whole world saw that.
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I am not surprised at yet another article describing or glorifying what all went wrong and how pathetic conditions are in the games village. Just finished watching the opening ceremony and it was fantastic, mind blowing. I have been listening to interview and reading athletes interviews and none of them even mentioned they had any problems, but BBC presenters here it seems dont wanna get past the mentality that everything is wrong. This is prime example of one track reporting. Well done.
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It always amuses me how the Western media's article almost always starts with some thing negative about India, like in this case the article first focuses on the negatives
ARTICLE - "It's not the best I've seen in terms of villages (at Olympics both winter and summer) and if you just had the keys handed to you by the builders you'd be scribbling down a snagging list as long as your arm."
I guess there are better way of putting together an article especially when the author has seen India put up a great show. It looks the only way India could have done better was if India was Britain.
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India had plenty of time to organise these games.
It has no shortage of labour considering it can even export much of it to other domociles.
The refusal to accept responsibility for failing to be ready in time and to have stringent safety measures in place construction ways is no ones faults but Indias .
When one entertains internationally , it is not enough to measure up to one own standards , but to the standards of every competing nation.
Examine the record of safety, hygeine, efficiency and be open minded about it.
Many feel India was a poor choice for a variety of reasons, but by not facing up to reality , difficulties arise that need not have.
Who was the prime organiser ? heads should roll .
Defending incompetence by attacking critics , is not good enough , improve standards is the way to earn respect.
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I love the fact he is in the Girl's room and the toilet seat is up. Quick check their sex before they compete!!!!
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Re comment no.1
I can only get BBC World News here, but they did show both Prince Charles and President Patil in their report
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look at the video,facilities are amazing.
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I heard from Delhi Chief Smt. Deekshit that the fallen bridge was designed by a British Company, why BBC did not highlight these things, only looking into the negative aspects … world media has witnessed the magnificent opening ceremony, but BBC has attached a “Juggi” photo just below the inaugural photo, it’s really matter how people observe things
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blaaa blaa blaaa....
jelousy cant cry any louder...EVERY ONE KNOWS THIS!!!
the indians have done a great job and should be respected for what theyv achieved.
criticizing will only make the indians better ...stop ,or u may be toppled over!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!and true enough,,that will happen in 10 years time..
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Hey...India has not made the whole of village in just few weeks....it has took years to make this whole village...so u can see how much it has always wanted to put efforts in CWG.....its your problem that you entered in under construction areas n showing pics of 1 bathroom n few places again n again......can't c how much it had been doing in years......
There is a way of showing things on media n u need to learn it...coz u know how to disrespect people but not how to see their good side!!!
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Indian is a great nation... nothing is always perfect. The opening ceremony and the warm welcome that has has been displayed by the people of India is beyond words. Media should now show respect and encourage the millions who have spend years getting things organised. To the people of Delhi who have supported the cause of games. The idea of Comman wealth Games is to encourange developing nations like India to move forward. Those who still can sit and think of negative should really move on and see the land which has culture, diversity which the west lacks at this point. Indians know how to put a great show, and the games will be a success. You better watch the space as India takes the lead as a major super power. Jai Hind !
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Let's focus on the sport now, shall we?
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Great observation of Pinsent looks like he was so amazed in village that forgote what to write as still not able to digest that India can build such a village western media tried every thing to turnish India immage,but we believe in hard work and result not in diplomatic way of talking at the same time fearing from heart that India is growing and capable of doing any thing.Wait man for another 10 year you will forced to write positive about India.Till that time please dont stop writing negative ,as more you write negative more India will grow.....wanna bet pinsent???
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Matthew,
The only gripe (and very slight too) is that these CWG are compared to the Olympics for some reason, and clearly there are big differences between the two.
However, you seem to received some criticism above. As an Indian, I think your blog is very good, You have been totally fair in your balance of opinions, hence the criticism above is confusing. On the whole, the BBC have not provided this roundedness in their coverage, but this has nothing to do with you.
Good job, keep up the good work!
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I am wondering exactly in what respects, the games village does not measure up to the standards. Can articles be specific, so people can do something about it. Please compare if necessary..!
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This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
I like to hear more positive news about the games
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BBC must understand this was a deliberate ploy by India to tell the world
that this is about sports , not politics or common wealth for that matter India gives a toss to common wealth. India has set an example
that the country would not glorify British Monarchy or British establishmnets and this was proved when Indian president opened up the games...Let the games begin. Charles was a joker and so was Camila..Camila 's outfit was hilarious.
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Oh no! Once again the same thing. In an article about opening ceremony unnecessarily you(BBC) specified about poverty of India. Yes. Poverty is our problem. But do learn what was its root cause. Read the document which was submitted by Lord Macaulay during 18th century in UK Parliament. He says like this,"I traveled around India, I couldn't find even a single beggar. If this is the situation we cannot occupy this(India) country". I don't want to dig the past.
Anyway, did you ask athletes from your state to tell about games village? Even after India showcased its best in the name of opening ceremony you criticized its expenditure with the issue of poverty.
World media got the mentality that the permission for criticizing India and its people is granted always. Whatever you say about us we have to keep quite. Is this your intention? Try to be a motivator always.
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I do'nt know why media show the negative aspect of India (relating to the picture above, behind the stadium. We need to look after the safty , the games every thing which had happend in the past but still we cope up with that. If we see the arrangements organised by India for the inagural ceramony of Commonwealth Games every body was astonished and spellbound, it was beyond expectations for the rest of the world......I think India has done a great job. This is just a trailor...
Simply .............INDIA Rocks....
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keep the the Good Work India..........We'hv doen it
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This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
The journalists now must gain some sportsman-ship. Enough of derbis was thrown in here.....can we plz hav some game news nw. U would have enough time talking abt the old fashioned articles...
try to look both sides of coin
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Well done India ,I am extremlly disappointed for BBC bias reporting.
Well We are waiting for London Olympic, And we will surely eager to find not only toilet seat ,But much more than that ,And I will surely read BBC bias reporting at that time.
Till than adios amigos
DASVIDANIYA
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This article was written way before the CWG's opening ceremony! It was written at a time when the preparations were still going shoddy. I'm sure, the majority of you were voicing your concern as well at that very time. All of us can only come and vent our anger at someone for writing an honest article, but do absolutely nothing when it comes to corruption, mis-guidance, cleaniness etc.
Hypocrites to the core, we all are and that's what makes me feel ashamed, more than than anything else!
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Shame on you BBC, i thoght BBC was impartial.you just just work for the decaying britsh empire. Faulty weighing scale, probably imported from UK.
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@81: Have you ever been to India, India is a country of rich tradition and culture, once a very rich country, welcomed foreingners (east india company by the british) for trade, these foriegners took advantage of Indian hospitality, looted India, made it poor,... now India is rising again as global power... in few years all of you will need to face India for daily bread
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Hi guys in India, keep calm. Let BBC and British do what innate for them. Just think an English man called Mahatma Gandhi "half naked fakeer" decades ago. Now decades after world has changed a lot and who knows what happened to that English man.
The same will happen to those find enjoyment in doing non-sense; wait, be patient and our route is that of non-violence.
The comrades who write about poor in India are welcome to find some solution. If not ready just leave this to us, we will sort this out just as we got rid of British from our land.
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''England women's hockey coach Danny Kerry slammed Commonwealth Games organisers after his team were forced to play in baking and 'dangerous' 40-degree temperatures''
Give up guys what do you expect when you got play in different country. I hope they might not ask for indoor hockey stadium with air conditioning.
Haaaaaaaaaaaa Bloody whimps
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