Seb Coe Praises Commonwealth Games

Sebastian Coe has praised Delhi saying that the city put on a great Commonwealth Games.

The Games had been surrounded in controversy on the run up to the opening ceremony when it was revealed that venues were not ready and the quality of the athletes village was called into question.

Despite the set backs Delhi delivered on time and Coe, who spent time in the village and at the various venues, has been impressed with the event.

Speaking to Rediff.com the former athlete said: "It has been terrific and I am very happy to be here.

"I spent a lot at the Games Village and the athletes told me it is a very, very good village. They told me the experience is good, they told me the food is good; they like the fact that the training venues are close to the village," the 54-year-old said.

"The sports have been good and I have been to many venues and I must say that the venues here are all world-class venues.

Many of the Commonwealth's top athletes were absent, many due to the timing of the Games while some did pull out because of health and safety fears.

And while the organisation behind the Delhi games has bee heavily criticised in the past weeks Coe, who is Chairman of the Organising Committee of the 2012 London Olympic Games, has come to their defence.

"Everybody knows it is complicated and that delivering the Games is not easy. Whether it is London or Delhi, any city that takes it on knows that it is complicated. But Delhi is delivering a great Games and hoping to globalise sports.

London 2012 is less than two years away and Coe revealed that the building is on schedule.

FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw