Commonwealth Games: Late withdrawals tarnish Games lustre

New Zealand cyclist Julian Dean has pulled out of the games. Photo / APN

A bevy of late withdrawals threatens to make the Delhi Commonwealth Games the least star-spangled in memory.

While not as bad as stated in one English publication - "if you've heard of them, they won't be there" - the absence of several superstars will enhance the sense the Games are losing any relevance they once had.

Olympic champions Usain Bolt, Shelley-Ann Fraser, Chris Hoy and Victoria Pendleton have long signalled their unavailability, but it is the withdrawal of Australia's Dani Samuels and England's Phillips Idowu, Christine Ohuruogu and Lisa Dobriskey in the past 48 hours that has sparked fears of mass pull-outs.

Prime Minister John Key yesterday gave his tacit approval to Kiwi athletes who were thinking of withdrawing.

"If an individual athlete decides they don't want to go for their own reasons, I would support them.

"At the end of the day they can make their own choices and whether they feel comfortable or not with the risks involved," he said.

Australian Sports Minister Mark Arbib also conceded that more athletes might follow the lead of world discus champion Samuels.

She cited the recent shooting of a tourist van outside a mosque and the outbreak of dengue fever as reasons she would not attend.

Idowu, the world triple-jump champion, said on his Twitter page that news of the hygiene issues in the village and the collapse of a footbridge was enough to convince him not to go.

Julian Dean is New Zealand's best-known casualty. He withdrew from selection contention before the team was named because of exhaustion after a long season that included his best performance at the Tour de France.

At this stage no other athlete has publicly indicated they are uneasy about travelling.

Hockey is among the first sports to arrive at the village and Hockey New Zealand chief executive Hilary Poole said she had not been made aware of any possible defections.

"Because our men have been up there for the world cup, from a security perspective they feel relatively reassured, but obviously the conditions for the athletes in the village is of significant concern," she said.

"We're still waiting, we're keen, we're prepared and obviously we're still hoping the Games will be on, but we'll require significant reassurance."

The NZRU said the rugby sevens team would take their lead from the New Zealand Olympic Committee but it expected questions about security and health concerns would be asked at a board meeting today and tomorrow.

HIGH PROFILE ABSENTEES

Usain Bolt (Jamaica): Olympic 100 and 200m champion
Shelley-Ann Fraser (Jamaica): Olympic 100m champion
Sherone Simpson (Jamaica): defending 200m champion
Asafa Powell (Jamaica): defending 100m champion
Dani Samuels (Australia): world discus champion
Phillips Idowu (England): world triple jump champion
Christine Ohuruogu (England): Olympic 400m champion
Lisa Dobriskey (England): defending 1500m champion
Martyn Rooney (England): 400m bronze medallist European champs
Michael Rimmer (England): 800m silver medallist European champs
Chris Hoy (England): four-time Olympic track cycling champion
Victoria Pendleton (England): Olympic track cycling champion
Jessica Ennis (England): heptathlon world champion
Beth Tweddle (England): gymnastics world floor champion
Jenny Meadows (England): world 800m bronze medallist
David Rudisha (Kenya): 800m world record holder
Julian Dean (New Zealand): cyclist