Construction delays and other problems that have marred the build-up to Delhi Commonwealth Games have also led to sponsors giving a cold shoulder to participating teams with Australia on Friday claiming that they will be 40 per cent short of the targeted sponsorship budget for the event.
Just 30 days left for the event but Australia are still $6.8 million behind the sponsorship target for the Games, the Australian Commonwealth Games Association (ACGA) chief executive Perry Crosswhite said.
Crosswhite said the ACGA will have to pay from its own pocket to touch the target of 13.5 million Australian dollars for competing in the October 3 to 14 extravaganza as sponsors are reluctant to come on board due to the negative press about the Games.
"We'll be 30 to 40 per cent short," Crosswhite told reporters. "I think we have to get through this one, spend the extra money out of our reserves and then we've got to get this back up for Glasgow and then hopefully Gold Coast."
Australia is expected to send a 378-strong team and Crosswhite hoped that the team would get enough backers. "This is a young team, it's a new group. This is an investment in the future of Australian sport. This is all about the future and that's what the Commonwealth Games is and we take that responsibility," Crosswhite said.
The Delhi Games have been marred by corruption allegations, delays in construction work of the venues and more recently dengue outbreak.