The much feared outcome of the twin blasts that injured 15 people in Bangalore, just before a crucial Indian Premier League match on April 17, unfortunately is coming true. Bangalore’s fate as a venue for the 2011 World Cup now hangs in balance.
The low intensity blasts at M Chinnaswamy Stadium before the Royal Challengers Bangalore-Mumbai Indians match have cast a pall over India’s capability to host the 2011 World Cup along with Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
The international cricket community is placing the blame on Bangalore police, alleging poor security arrangements which were “not at the level to counter this particular risk”.
Tim May, chief executive of Federation of International Cricketers’ Associations (FICA), told DNA from USA on Tuesday: “We will now be looking forward to the risk assessment report that the International Cricket Council (ICC) prepares for World Cup venues, and then take a call on Bangalore’s future as a World Cup venue.”
He said: “It’s a massive breach of security on the part of Bangalore police. Not one or two, but four bombs were found around the stadium, which is really shocking. Players have been promised security; but if this is the case, then it cuts a sorry figure for the city (Bangalore).”
FICA officials have been regularly pointing out the security concerns in the sub-continent “and this weekend’s incidents only underline those concerns”, he said.
May said sources within the IPL had described the security arrangements by the Bangalore police as “a shambles” despite assurances of safety.
The Professional Cricketers’ Association (PCA) officials, too, are concerned about the security for the 2011 World Cup in Asia, where Bangalore is one of the venues.
Angus Porter, chief executive, PCA, said, “As far as the (2011) World Cup is concerned, we think there should be a good review of the situation in Bangalore where we are supposed to play a match.”
Kevin Pietersen, a key player of Royal Challengers Bangalore, has expressed to his friends, including Ian Smith, legal director of PCA, that he felt pressurised into playing the match (on April 17) against Mumbai Indians just after the blasts occurred on the perimeter walls of the stadium, a British tabloid reported on Tuesday.
“Imagine what it would be like going around in a giant bus, in that traffic, with ‘England’ emblazoned over everything almost saying ‘Attack me, attack me’”, the newspaper quoted Smith as saying.
The report went on to add that the Royal Challengers Bangalore squad received “no proper police escort.”
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