More woes in Delhi

NEW DELHI (AP):

More than a dozen swimmers from Australia and England have fallen ill at the Commonwealth Games in the latest setback for trouble-plagued organisers in New Delhi.

British media reported yesterday that 20 per cent of the England team's swimmers - about eight to 10 competitors - had been struck down with a stomach virus. The Australian team confirmed at least six of its swimmers had been sick, including Andrew Lauterstein, who had to withdraw from the 50-metre butterfly.

Organisers rejected speculation that the water quality at the aquatics complex was to blame.

Water safe

Craig Hunter, the head of England's delegation, issued a statement saying he had received assurances from the games' organising committee that water was safe. The England team said only eight per cent of its 541-member delegation had experienced any kind of stomach virus in the previous 28 days, which was lower than expected. That's 43 people from one team in a month.

Whether it was the water or just a case of 'Delhi Belly', which isn't uncommon for visitors to India, it was yet another problem to plague an event that has seen construction delays, pre-games complaints about filthy conditions in the athletes' village, allegations of corruption and concerns about security and outbreaks of mosquito-borne dengue fever.