Not interested in India’s pride: Mike Hopper
New Delhi, Sept 27 (IBNS) Despite facing criticism from Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) chief executive Mike Hoope once again reiterated that he was not interested in India’s pride but was just interested in the smooth running of the Games.
“I am not interested in India’s pride. My priority is to ensure that Commonwealth Games go on smoothly,” Hooper reportedly said in a key meeting at the Games ,
Sources added that the meeting was being held on a dais and after the interaction, Hooper stood down from the dais and said that each and every comment of his was misquoted by the Indian media.
Hooper along with CGF Chief Mike Fennell, who supported his colleague after the row sparked off yesterday, member of the Organising Committee and the Chef de Missions met Monday morning at the Games Village to take stock of situation.
Earlier in the day, responding to a question on Hooper’s reported remark during a closed-door meeting on the Commonwealth Games when he lost his cool as authorities rejected a proposal for closing the Games lanes and talked about the city’s “population hazard”, Dikshit said, “It is really a very unkind and undiplomatic remark that has been made.”
Hooper’s boss Mike Fennell had earlier hit out over a “viscous (sic) and totally unwarranted attack” on Hooper in the Indian media.
“What I have witnessed today is a viscous (sic) and totally unwarranted attack on Mr Hooper based on entirely false reports. Mike Hooper has my full support. He has always worked tirelessly for the good of the Games. Now it is time for us all to concentrate on delivering a good Games, for the athletes of the Commonwealth and the people of India,” added the Commonwealth Games Federation President.
Hooper had raised eyebrows when he denied his organisation was partly to blame for the controversial countdown to the Games, saying the fault lay with India.
“At the end of the day, I’m not a construction engineer. I’m not a builder. We’re at the hands and the mercy of, effectively, the government of India, the Delhi government, the agencies responsible for delivery of the venues,” Hooper told Television New Zealand.
