Flights to Delhi delayed

New Zealand's Commonwealth Games athletes have been told to delay travelling to Delhi until next Tuesday.The decision has been prompted by the state of the Games Village, where hygiene and safety issues are still not resolved.Canada and Scotland have also delayed their arrival for the same reasons.New Zealand's delayed arrival is another hit for Delhi organisers, but the Kiwi boxers are still determined to go after they've competed at the national championships in Christchurch.They touch down in Delhi on Tuesday, and will now be in the first group of athletes to reach the village.It means the world to me, eh, says boxer Nathan McEwan.I've been training for this. This what you dream, I couldn't be more ready to get over there and into it.Nothing's going to stop me like a falling bridge or anything like that,says Reece Papuni.Doesn't bother me.

The disgusting state of the village led to the crisis. Chef de mission Dave Currie's completed another inspection along with New Zealand's two top games officials Olympic Committee president Mike Stanley and secretary-general Barry Maister.Mr Stanley is already on the plane back to Auckland but said in a written statement:It is tremendously disappointing. This is not a matter of comfort or luxury; it's a matter of hygiene and safety.The big talking point overnight was the collapse of a false ceiling at the weightlifting venue.Look, I would like to tell you very categorically that these minor hitches and glitches do come around whenever a building is new, but to make it look as if the entire system has collapsed, I am sorry we do not agree with that, says Delhi organiser Sheila Dikshit.A criminal investigation is under way into yesterday's collapse of a footbridge near the main Games stadium.

Twenty-three were injured, and it's emerged the construction company P and R Infraprojects also developed the main stadium and venues for netball and track cycling. The company's now blacklisted and can no longer get government projects.Every possible sinew will be strained and will be done and implemented to ensure that we come up with flying colours,says Congress Party spokesman Abishek Manu Singhvi.But at the moment the colours are barely at half-mast.