Australia committed to 2010 Commonwealth Games

Australia are pushing ahead with plans to compete at next year's Commonwealth Games in New Delhi despite a report England may pull out due to security concerns.

A British newspaper published a report on Wednesday quoting unnamed government sources saying England might boycott the Oct. 3-14 Games because of fears for the safety of their athletes.  

However, the chief of Australia's Commonwealth Games team Perry Crosswhite said Australia was comfortable with the level of security.  "I have nothing new to change our view ... everything is on track to go," he told reporters on Wednesday.

"We will take the best advice we can get and at this stage it (security) is adequate. "I have not had one athlete, one manager, one coach -- no-one has contacted me with the view that they shouldn't be going. We don't want to force athletes to go, they have to make their own decision, but no-one has raised it."

The buildup to the 2010 Commonwealth Games has been plagued with problems but Crosswhite, who is also a member of the co-ordination commission overseeing New Delhi's preparations, said the Games would go ahead even if England boycotted.                                           

"Absolutely. The Games will happen," he said.  "Whether it's only one team out of 71 nations, it won't be good for the Games, but they will happen. I'm not a security expert but they've employed people that are and the reports are good."These days security is a major issue everywhere."