Attack not related to Games: ACGA

Australian athletes say they are worried about travelling to India

The ACGA chief said Sunday’s attack has not prompted a review of the security plans laid out for the Games. But he was seeking briefings on the shooting which injured two Taiwanese nationals.

“According to the authorities here, it is not Games-related and our own federal government has not found it necessary to change its travel advisory for India,” Crosswhite said in statement here.

“At the moment we do not see a need to change our planning which continues to maintain a high level of security awareness. We will continue to take advice from our own consultants, from the Australian government and, most importantly, the relevant Indian authorities.”

Sprenger worried

Australia’s world record holder swimmer Christian Sprenger is having second thoughts about travelling to New Delhi.

Sprenger said he is a worried person now. “I do really want to compete, but am I worried? Of course I am. I don’t want to be reading things like that in the paper. How could I not be having second thoughts?,” Sprenger was quoted as saying by the ‘Daily Telegraph’.

Sprenger’s mother, Sharon, said she was worried about her son’s safety. “It only takes one person on the side of the road with a bomb strapped to the side of his body and boom,” she said.

Australia’s other top swimmers such as Olympic champions Jessicah Schippers and Leisel Jones have also told their families to not travel to India for the Games. “I said to them, even before the latest threat came up, that I didn’t want them to come. We go over there and we’re really well looked after with our security and everything, but they go over and they just have to wing it and see what happens,” Schipper said.

Jones said she refused to risk her mother Rosemary’s life. Karen Seebohm – mother of 18-year-old multi-event specialist star Emily – has also decided against taking her 10-year-old son Will to India.

However, there is one family that is not scared to travel to India. Kay Kukla – mother of the team’s youngest competitor, Yolane, 14 – said she was happy to attend the Games, saying the family had already survived a number of attacks in strife-torn Manila.