Confusion over 2010 CWG Opening and Closing Ceremonies

Confusion seems to be the order of the day as Delhi gets ready to host the 2010 Commonwealth Games. At least, this seems to be the case as far as hosting the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2010 Commonwealth Games is concerned.

At a time when crores are expected to be spent on these two important cultural megashows of the Games, some top officials of the organizing committee (OC) are still in the dark about who will be in charge of these ceremonies the OC itself, the sports ministry or the Delhi government.

In fact, a decision is yet to be taken on the issue when the Games are just 18 months away.
"It's a bit confusing at the moment as nothing has been finalized. It appears as if the Centre wants the Delhi government to do it," a senior OC official told TOI.

The official, however, added that OC will host cultural programmes in the Games village, as is the case with all major events, and the Delhi government will have cultural programmes in different parts of the city.

It's a norm worldwide that the organizing committees of major Games conduct both the opening and closing ceremonies. However, it has been learnt that the Centre is not too keen on letting the Commonwealth Games 2010’s organizing committee plan and conduct these two ceremonies on their own since both the ceremonies are huge affairs and "country's image is associated with it".

Sources said a group of ministers (GoM) led by Union urban development minister Jaipal Reddy will finalize the details of these two ceremonies. IOA president Suresh Kalmadi and Delhi CM Sheila Dixit will be part of this group.