n IOC chief plans site visit today n Injured Australian duo withdraw NEW DELHI - As the countdown to the Commonwealth Games moved into its final three days, athletes continued to flood into a heavily guarded Indian capital as the host of problems surrounding the event showed signs of easing. More than 4,000 athletes have arrived in Delhi to find a city wrapped in a security blanket and a Games needing a last-minute government intervention to rescue the multi-sports gathering and prevent a huge embarrassment for India. A visit to the venue by International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge Friday will provide a much-needed boost for organizers reeling from the logistical nightmare of trying to arrange India's answer to the Beijing Olympics. Shoddy construction and filthy toilets at the Games Village delayed the arrivals of several teams but the last-ditch efforts to improve the situation appears to be paying off. “I reached here only last night but accommodation is as was expected and I'm looking forward to enjoying the next couple of weeks here,” Australia's world champion pole vaulter Steve Hooker told reporters at the Games Village Thursday. To ensure the safety of the athletes, the Indian capital has been converted into a fortress with 100,000 security personnel, including commandos, snipers and police, virtually taking over the city. MiG fighters and armed helicopters would be on standby for the Oct. 3-14 Games and Mi-35 attack helicopters would be airborne during opening and closing ceremonies, according to media reports. Protesters took to the streets of the Indian capital Thursday for a second straight day of demonstrations, demanding a boycott of the Commonwealth Games. They were holding placards reading “boycott the poverty games” and “we want schools, not stadiums.” About 100 people demonstrated 500 meters from the organizing committee's office in central Delhi. On Wednesday, Indian activists, upset with what they claimed were racist remarks by Commonwealth Games Federation chief executive Mike Hooper, burned an effigy of the New Zealander and shouted slogans. Carrying signs that said “Racist Hooper Go Back,” the crowd was upset that Hooper, who has lived as an official observer in Delhi for more than two years, had reportedly made remarks blaming the Indian population for poor preparation. Hooper has denied making any offensive remarks. Organizers also had to deal with a number of high-profile withdrawals including triple Olympic gold medalist Usain Bolt of Jamaican and Australian swimmer Stephanie Rice. Australian discus thrower Scott Martin and sprint hurdler Hayley Butler have also pulled out of the Commonwealth Games because of injury, a team spokesperson said Thursday. Neither athlete travelled with the team that touched down in the Indian capital late Wednesday. Martin won the discus gold at the 2006 Games in Melbourne, where he also clinched a bronze medal in the shot put.
