NEW DELHI, India, (CMC) – Commonwealth Games Federation chief Mike Fennell has praised organisers for the successful staging of Sunday’s opening ceremony of the 19th Commonwealth Games here. The ceremony, which put India’s culture on display in a vibrant manner before a capacity crowd of 60 000 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, was executed without a hitch.

“Our congratulations to Delhi for a most spectacular opening ceremony last night. It was truly exhilarating and set the right tone for the start of the Games,” said Fennell.

“To the producers and artists and all the performers, our congratulations on a performance from the heart. To the athletes of the 71 countries and territories that make up the Commonwealth, we hope this will be the start of an amazing adventure.”

There was much speculation over the staging of the successful staging of the ceremony, especially after the fractious build-up to the event in recent weeks.

The Games have been shrouded in confusion and chaos with construction, health and security issues casting a huge shadow of doubt over the staging of the October 3-14 showpiece.

As a result, organisers placed heavy emphasis on the opening ceremony in an attempt to erase the bad memories of the last few weeks.

“The preparation to the Games was filled with many challenges,” Fennell said.

“Now in the next 11 days we will focus on the competition and follow the athletes in their quest for victory and glory. The athletes will exemplify the qualities of fair play and respect for all.”