2002 Commonwealth Games in danger of collapse

Next year's Commonwealth Games in Manchester are facing a severe shortage of cash and could collpase without an urgent injection of government funds, a leaked report to the British authorities has revealed.

The report, prepared by businessman Patrick Carter, comes to the devastation conclusion that the Commonwealth Games should be cancelled unless the British government is able to come up with at least 124 million pounds of extra funding.

Carter was commissioned by former Home Secretary Jack Straw before the last general election to prepare a report on the funding of the games.

The result of his investigation is a strongly worded letter to the British cabinet in which he says, "In order to stage an adequate Commonwealth Games an additional finance of 114 million pounds is required and I would add a further 10 million pounds to this.

"Looking further the choices are relatively simple: either cancel the Games or secure an adequate level of funding to deliver an adequate event."

Most of the money promised so far for the Games is coming from a national lottery distributor, Sports England, which has earmarked 138 million pounds. The government has also given Manchester another 10 million pounds to cover the cost of the opening and closing ceremonies.

A spokeswoman for Sports England told India Abroad, "We are nlot responsible for underwriting the cost of the Games.If manchester wants more money they will have to make a fresh application for funds."

The extra money required, as highlighted by the Carter report, would be used for the daily running costs, security and the completion opf some facilities that have proved to be more costly than previously forecast.

Government officials have been saying privately that Manchester City Council, which fought long and hard to win the right to stage the Games, had prmised to underwrite whatever was needed. If, as expected, more government money is not made available the city will have to find some way of pledging its assets to met its obligations.

A spokeswoman for theCulture, Media and Sports Ministry told India Abroad, "We canot make a comment because the Carter report is under review by government officials."