New Delhi:
Commonwealth Games Organising Committee chairman Suresh Kalmadi on Tuesday asserted that all the 71 participating nations have reposed full faith in them to pull off a spectacular show in the October 3-14 quadrennial extravaganza.
In the line of fire for all the mess leading up to the 17-discipline event, Kalmadi said the Games Village was fully ready, and urged the 1,000-odd volunteers to take more responsibility.
"Notwithstanding the controversy and all the bad publicity that has come out, I want to make it clear that the Commonwealth Games infrastructure is fully ready... the Games Village is in place," Kalmadi said while launching Commonwealth Volunteer Programme's theme song, titled 'Delhi United'.
"Three thousand athletes have already entered, many (visitors) are coming and returning home satisfied. Let me tell you that all the 71 participating nations have full confidence that we will do it well."
Terming volunteers the "face" of the Games, Kalmadi said "We have done our job. Now, it's up to the volunteers to take charge. It's an immense responsibility on them. You (volunteers) need to be very affectionate, smile all around, do 'namaste', reach out to the venues and take up the responsibility."
"It depends a lot on 'Delhi United' (the volunteers) for the Games to be successful. There will be a lot of hardships, but that's what the volunteers are all about. In the end, when you receive a certificate, it would be the true achievement.
That will go a long way for you all."