NEW DELHI: With scams marring the build up to the Commonwealth Games, an agitated sprint legend Milkha Singh said it would have been better for the country had Army handles all the preparations for the mega event.
Singh, who flew to London for the launch of the Queen Baton Relay, trained guns at Suresh Kalmadi and held the OC chairman responsible for all the mess.
"India's reputation is getting tainted. The proceedings in Parliament is also getting interrupted due to all this and the Organising Committee is responsible for that.
"I told Kalmadi eight years ago that we should start helping the athletes in their preparation for the Delhi Games but he ignored the advice. It would have been better had Army handled the overall preparation. The players also would have learned discipline," Singh said.
The way things have panned out, a livid Singh said India should not even think of hosting big events.
"They brought me to London and also Melbourne before that. But I am sorry to say that Kalmadi and Bhanot dictate the terms on all matters and they don't listen to anyone else. "India should not even think about hosting Asian Games or the Olympics until the whole system changes."
Singh, known as Flying Sikh in his heydays, said Kalmadi should quit in the wake of all the allegations.
"India's reputation is at stake but still the members of the Organising Committee are doing politics. If the whole process is really transparent, Kalmadi should resign and conduct a probe.
"Kalmadi and Lalit Bhanot are doing whatever they feeling like. Not only the country but the whole world today knows about the irregularities in preparation of the Games. Everyone, including the Indian Olympic Association, wants Kalmadi to quit.
"I often go to abroad with my golfer son (Jeev) and there people respect India. But these people are spoiling that reputation," he said.
Singh also said the delay in the completion of the venues will hurt India's medal prospects.
"London will host the Olympics in 2012 but they have already made the cycling tracks available to their athletes for practice. Here we have the Games just two months away and till now most of the stadiums are not available to the players.
"I think, it would be more humiliating for the country when our athletes would return empty handed at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium because they are not being allowed to get used to with the facilities there," he said. PTI
