New Zealand, Australia mull alternative venue for swimmers

Wellington: Swimming New Zealand is mulling taking part in an alternative swimming meet if the crisis-hit Commonwealth Games in Delhi are cancelled, the organisation said on Thursday.

Swimming New Zealand chief executive Mike Byrne said that he was trying to remain optimistic about the Games, due to start on October 3, would proceed but would look at other options.

"If the unthinkable happens and the Games are cancelled, one of the things we need to look at is if there is another competition we can take part in," he said ahead of an announcement that New Zealand had delayed the departure of its athletes over accommodation problems.

Swimming superpower Australia also said it had looked into alternatives if the Games in India are scrapped.

Swimming Australia confirmed that Commonwealth swimming officials canvassed the possibility of taking their teams to another venue at last month's Pan Pacific championships in California.

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"A conversation took place looking at all sorts of eventualities. That was something that was discussed at the Pan Pacs (in California in mid-August) but nothing more has been discussed since," a SA spokesman said.

Australia's world discus champion Dani Samuels this week cited security and health concerns for her withdrawal from the October 3-14 multi-sports event but the nation's swimmers want to compete.

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"There's been no indication from any swimmers at all that they plan to pull out from the Games, and we plan to depart as planned for Kuala Lumpur on Friday and Saturday before flying to Delhi on Wednesday," the SA spokesman said.

Australian head coach Leigh Nugent confirmed there had been discussions of an alternate swimming meet during the Pan Pacs, but no agreement had been reached.

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He was adamant Australia was committed to competing at the Delhi Games.

"We're not organising an opposition competition," he told Melbourne's Herald Sun. "We'll race whoever is on the blocks."

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Grant Stoelwinder, who coaches Eamon Sullivan and Geoff Huegill, said his swimmers were "clawing to get to Delhi".

Beijing Olympic silver medallist Sullivan said he was "very excited to have another shot at a major title" in Delhi.

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World 100m breaststroke champion Brenton Rickard said he keen to go to India, but would not hesitate to pull out -- even if he was already there -- if he no longer felt safe.

"The risk is not greater than the reward for going, but someone like Dani (Samuels) has seen it the other way, and good for her for making the decision," Rickard said.

"These things can change very rapidly, as we have seen, and if we get there, and I don't feel comfortable, I don't see a reason why you couldn't fly home and get out of there.

"But I'm not going to be counting the days and worrying about it in the meantime."