• Commonwealth Games

Backley warns athletes to maintain their focus

Steve Backley won his third Commonwealth title at Manchester in 2002 © Getty Images

Enlarge

Related Links

• News: 'Considerable improvements' ease Delhi fears
  
• News: England and Wales show their support for the Games
  
• News: Idowu could make Commonwealths U-turn
  

Three-time Commonwealth champion Steve Backley believes the British athletes are in danger of allowing themselves to be distracted by the issues surrounding the Delhi Games.

Concerns were raised over the state of the athletes' village and fears grew when a footbridge near the main stadium collapsed on Tuesday. But Backley, the former javelin world record holder, believes the teams should be concentrating on preparing for competition and not worrying about outside issues.

"There's a lot of fuss going on," Backley said in The Daily Mirror. "My attitude is: for goodness sake get on with it, roll your sleeves up, there's a job to be done. Did everyone think they were going to Dubai or Monaco? We've known for years that these Games are in Delhi.

"Part of your skill as an international performer should be in planning for the eventualities that lie before you - pre-empting the cultural differences you are stepping into.

"Yes, you're going to a place that's difficult to predict, but make that part of your plans. I competed twice in Delhi and had a ball. You're there partly to explore a different culture as well.

"I also remember the Barcelona Olympics in 1992 when there were three of us in a room which barely had space for three single beds. There were no wardrobes and no air conditioning - the sort of conditions that athletes nowadays would be up in arms about.

"I know it sounds a bit like 'when I was a lad' and there is a bit of that. But when a tile falling off a ceiling makes the 10 o'clock news, I think 'oh c'mon guys'. There is a lot of hysteria. It's like Carry on up the Khyber."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.