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New Delhi, Oct 15 (PTI) As the Commonwealth Games drew to a close, a fresh controversy rocked the event with reports emerging that Australian athletes indulged in hooliganism and damaged property at the Games Village after their cricket team was handed a drubbing in the Test series against India. Amid reports that some Australian athletes went on a rampage at Village following India''s 2-0 Test series win over Australia out of frustration, an Aussie athlete was sent home for disciplinary reasons.
The report said the Aussies also raised slogans against Indian batting icon Sachin Tendulkar, who played a pivotal role in India''s victory. But the Australian High Commission in India dismissed the reports as as "fantasy" and "baseless".
"It is factually wrong, insulting to Australia''s athletes and can only be described as a fantasy," an Australian High Commission statement said here. However, the Delhi Police confirmed that a washing machine was thrown from the eighth floor of a residential block housing Australians.
Australian Commonwealth Games Association chief Perry Crosswhite confirmed that an Aussie athlete has indeed been sent home from Delhi for disciplinary reasons. Crosswhite, however, said he would be surprised if an Aussie is found involved in hooliganism and said athletes from other countries, who were in the Australian building at the time of the incident, could be responsible.
External Affairs Minister S M Krishna sought to downplay the incident, saying it was minor.
"It is a minor issue. It should be sorted out.
With Australia, we have a very good relationship. We will solve it to the satisfaction of both the parties," he told reporters here.
Delhi Police spokesperson Rajan Bhagat said they have not received any complaint from the Organising Committee regarding this and no case has been registered. A senior official at the Games Village also downplayed the incident and said it was for the management of the team to take action against their athletes responsible.
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