Archery Association of India (AAI) president Vijay Kumar Malhotra on Wednesday blamed various authorities connected with the Commonwealth Games next October for Indian sportspersons losing any home advantage.

Malhotra, who is also an Indian Olympic Association vice-president, said the medal prospects of Indian athletes have been considerably affected because of the delay in raising the infrastructure, and that the country would feel the pinch during the Games.

“Where is the quality time for sportspersons to practice or participate in test events before the Games? Next May-June will be too hot in Delhi and it will be followed by the monsoons in June-July,” he said.

Malhotra added that athletes will have little time to get used to the new venues. “We have lost precious home advantage. The last deadline (for the venues) was December, now it has been pushed back to March. There is hardly enough time for conducting test events,” he said, talking to newspersons here.

Malhotra was also critical of statements from various quarters claiming the infrastructure will be ready in time. “I really can’t understand what they mean when they say infrastructure would be ready in time. Do they mean just a day before the opening ceremony?”

Malhotra also decried the frequent inspections of venues by ministers, saying it slowed down work. “Every time they visit for cheap publicity, without realising that they bring construction work to a halt,” he claimed.

He also feared that rushing to complete construction work could push organisers to compromise on quality. “I’m afraid we could end up with sub-standard infrastructures. I remember everyone praising how we held the 1982 Asian Games. But within a month of the event, the roof at the IG Indoor Stadium started leaking. Even the sewage system at the Nehru Stadium had completely collapsed,” Malhotra pointed out.

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