Games conundrum

They are two totally different cultures. A lack of urgency is

symptomatic of the Indian psyche while the Chinese state apparatus is famed for its organisational acumen.

The UK's record is not altogether exemplary – the 1986 Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh were dogged by financial controversy and poor planning.

That said, the safety and security lapses in India are deeply worrying, far more so than the complaints lodged about the athletes' village, and it is understandable that competitors are having second thoughts about travelling to Delhi. They have every right to expect the tightest security – and their safety at a sporting celebration that prides itself on being called the "friendly games" should be paramount. This remains the biggest consideration as sports' leaders question whether the Games should begin on Sunday week, or be postponed.

Yet, before UK sports enthusiasts ridicule the Indians, it should be remembered that the baton will soon pass to this country ahead of the 2012 London Olympics and the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow two years later. The Delhi experience is, therefore, a salutary warning that staging such events is a momentous undertaking which requires the most rigorous of planning.