David Leggat: Fingers crossed bad news ends now

Speaking with a Kiwi accent and sporting a beard is not the smartest thing a New Zealander could be doing in New Delhi right now.

After all, you might be confused for Mike Hooper, the immensely unpopular Commonwealth Games Federation boss. In Indian eyes, there is nothing remotely super about Hooper.

Indeed has there ever been a less engaging high-profile New Zealander in India?

This was the man who has overseen chaotic preparations for the Games in the Indian capital and whose effigy is now being burned in the streets.

Allegations against him from upset Indian officials have included a racist attitude towards them.

Certainly his brusque, abrasive manner is entirely out of tune with the demands of dealing with Indian people.

In my experience of several trips to India, that means basic courtesy, and what might be called polite firmness. Berating or abusing them, as has been suggested has happened, is a big no-no.

In terms of getting a late-starting Games structure up to speed, Hooper's demeanour suggests a bloke who brings an oil can to put out a fire.

Still, the Games are a little over 24 hours away and, barring something too wretched to contemplate, they'll kick off at the Jawaharlal Nehru stadium tomorrow night.

But while you might have thought all minds are tuned into making sure there are no late issues to trip this most problematic of Games preparations, Suresh Kalmadi has other ideas.

The organising committee chief, another under the hammer over his handling of an operation which has lurched from construction snafus to allegations of corruption to health and hygiene concerns, is already thinking ahead.

Ordinarily a forward-looking philosophy is no bad thing. But given events of the past few months you might have imagined a first-things-first policy would be the smart play.

Getting New Delhi through the next fortnight should be his priority, but now he's eyeing the Olympics.

India is considering a bid for the 2020 Olympic Games, and Kalmadi is trumpeting the cause, which has had the Indian Olympic Association and the country's Sports Ministry butting heads.

Right on cue yesterday, who should pop up in New Delhi but Jacques Rogge, the Belgian head of the IOC.

Just calling in to lend a supporting voice, with an entourage of 20 IOC officials in tow to wave the flag. They're staying for the opening ceremony, then shooting through.

The same could be said for Games volunteers. Games don't function without them and about 10,000 have gone missing. That's almost half the entire volunteer population.

The reasons given include drawing unglamorous assignments. And let's be fair about this: would you rather be doing something inside a venue where you can catch a glimpse or more of the action, or be stationed in a remote corner of a parking area?

To cap it off, they've scarpered with their Games uniforms.

There seems an unending supply of bad news stories emanating from the Games.

The latest include criticisms of Indian officials officially listed as national technical officers overseeing individual sports, but actually on paid junkets.

The Times of India yesterday headlined its main Games report on the eve of the start: "Finally, India In All Its Glory".

That's the fervent hope, that despite all the delays, all the chaotic images, the fears over security and health, it will all come good when the competition starts.

These are only the third Games out of 19 to be held outside a Western city. About time too, that the Games came to one of the Commonwealth's giant countries.

If New Delhi can come out the other side having overseen a vibrant, enriching event, as befitting the wider experience of visiting this country, then brilliant.

Fingers are crossed for the city, the country and the future of the Games.