New Delhi:
Australia topped the medals tally in the commonwealth games with 177 medals but they are not winning any awards for popularity. Australian athletes vandalised the Games village on Wednesday night, the day Sachin Tendulkar helped India crush the Aussies 2-0 in the test series.
Apparently celebrating their victory in an event, some athletes decided to toss a washing machine from the 8th floor of the tower they were staying in. The Australian High Commission denied that the celebrations had anything to do with the cricket loss or being disrespectful to Tendulkar. In a statement released in New Delhi, it said, " The celebrations had nothing to do with cricket or India or Sachin Tendulkar. It remains unclear who did the damage & what their nationality was." (
Read: Australia's reaction)
The Australian Commonwealth Games Association admitted that a washing machine may have been damaged, but also summed it up saying some of this happens in the after-parties.
All this while India's External Affairs minister reiterated that this was not a diplomatic row at all and was a matter than could be sorted out.
Lalit Bhanot, the Secretary of the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee told NDTV, ""They regretted the incident. This was not against anything, not done deliberately. They were celebrating their victory and it has happened. It is not a serious thing. but as per the guidelines whoever damages assets in the village has to pay. So accordingly they have done it and the matter is now closed." (
Read: Oz team asked to pay for damages)
No one was injured in the incident, chief executive of the Australian Commonwealth Games Association Perry Crosswhite said in remarks published Friday. The Sydney Morning Herald quoted him as saying the incident took place after the Commonwealth Games ended Thursday.
"We don't know who did that," he said. "Delhi Police came around and they have done an investigation." He also revealed that an Australian athlete was sent home a few days ago for bad behaviour but did not reveal the person's identity.