India's bid to deliver a world-class Commonwealth Games next year will rest not on swanky stadiums, but on persuading stars like Usain Bolt to compete in New Delhi.
India's bid to deliver a world-class Commonwealth Games next year will rest not on swanky stadiums, but on persuading stars like Usain Bolt to compete in New Delhi.
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The four-yearly sporting festival of nations that comprised the erstwhile British Empire is regarded by many as a "Community Games" that lack the aura of the Olympics.
Indian officials realise they need Bolt to generate excitement in the cricket-crazy nation, and are even willing to tempt the Jamaican with big bucks to scorch the tracks at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.
"We are looking for an Indian sponsor for Bolt," the chairman of the organising committee, Suresh Kalmadi, told a meeting with corporate honchos a year ahead of the October 3-14 Games.
"Any company in India would love to be associated with him. The organising committee is making an effort so that Indian industry gets global mileage."
Bolt, 23, who won the 100m and 200m double at both the Beijing Olympics and the world championships with world record timings, missed the previous Commonwealth Games in Melbourne in 2006 due to injury.
The fastest man on the planet has not committed himself to racing in New Delhi, saying he will leave the decision to his coach Glen Mills.
India can ill afford to let Bolt skip what, at 1.6 billion dollars, will be the most expensive Commonwealth Games ever, surpassing the 1.1 billion dollars spent by Melbourne four years ago.
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