ABSTRACT
The 2010 Delhi CWG Organizing Committee had an executive board which was the ultimate decision-making power (other organizing committees have boards of directors). The link between the sub-committees/functional areas and the executive board was with the four-member executive management team (other committees often have a CEO/Director General and (executive) vice-presidents), which was composed of a chairman, vicechairman, secretary general, and treasurer. These were the organizing committee leaders. The chairman was the executive head and was responsible for overseeing and executing all policies and directives provided by the Games’ executive board. The vice-chairman was the link between the organizing committee and the Commonwealth Games Associations (CGAs) around the world. The secretary general was in charge of technical aspects and subcommittee coordination. Finally, the treasurer was in charge of financial matters and coordinating the finance and revenue sub-committee (Organizing Committee Commonwealth Games 2010 Delhi, 2010). By the opening ceremonies of the 2010 Delhi CWG, these leaders had been plagued with credibility issues, from alleged sponsorship scandals, to workforce problems (e.g. child labour, health and safety problems of construction workers and of venues, such as faeces in the athletes’ village), to construction problems (e.g. huge delays meaning increased costs, a main bridge collapsing days before teams were scheduled to arrive). While all venues were ready by the time the Games started, it left a bad taste in people’s mouths as the crowd at
the opening ceremonies booed the chairman of 2010 Delhi when he came to give his speech, because he was the embodiment of the organizing committee that was giving India a bad image and reputation. In contrast, the President of India was greatly cheered. Together with the President of the CGF, the President of India “whipped the organizing committee into shape”, got venues cleaned up, built (in the case of the bridge, with the help of the army), and generally ready for the Games. She became the embodiment of what India was capable of by putting her power, her leadership into action.
