Australia Satisfied with Security Measures for Sporting Events in India

Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith has expressed satisfaction over the security measures being undertaken for foreign athletes during sporting events scheduled this year, said media reports.

Recently, 313 brigade, an operational arm of al-Qaida, has threatened foreign sport teams against visiting India.

Smith, who met Indian officials last year to review Commonwealth Games’ security arrangements, also remarked that in the current scenario, no single sporting event anywhere in the world was free from security scare, said reports.

“I was satisfied then and I’m satisfied now that all of the necessary co-ordination and consultation continues to occur and, of course, we are deeply interested in those arrangements,” Smith was quoted as saying by the Australian Associated Press.

“It is a very regrettable fact of the modern era that there are always the risk of security risks in major sporting events, whether they’re conducted in Australia, the Sydney Olympics or the Melbourne Commonwealth Games, or whether they’re conducted in India,” he was quoted as saying.

He also said that Australian government would continually keep the national sporting federations informed about the security situation in India, said reports.

“The Australian government’s position is very well understood by the sporting community,” he was quoted as saying.

“We make available to the sporting teams and the sporting associations, all of our up-to-date travel and security advice and assessments … whether sporting teams or individuals take part is entirely a matter for them.”

It may be mentioned that Australia is taking part in Commonwealth Games Championship and has committed itself to the hockey World Cup in the Indian capital from February 28.

(Based on internet reports)