Australia swimming butterfly star Geoff Huegill said to his companions and he was considering withdrawing from the Games next month in the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth. The 31-year-old swimmer told his colleagues and he were confident that security measures would be in place for athletes.
"I'm really excited about going there to tell the truth," Huegill of Australia Associated Press on Wednesday. "I have not had the opportunity to go to India yet, but when you talk to someone who has been India, this is exactly what their culture and their lifestyle is everything. Everything is a mess, it's all emotion, everything is fun and colorful.
Part of the Australian swimming team leadership, Huegill said he understood the decision to world champion Dani Samuels discussion to withdraw from the Games because of concerns about safety.
"Obviously, Dani has to take care of herself and if she does not feel safe or secure about the situation will be then I understand perfectly," said Huegill. "But I've been talking to some of the other guys on the team, and none of us worry at all. In terms of security we have all had our meetings ... we will be protected in the pool, we will be protected in people and we do not mind a little to everyone.
"We all have our mosquito nets and we'll all be packing our pillows," he said. "I think we have to remember, while we used to stay in some pretty nice, high-altitude locations, India is still classified as a third world country. So for them it may seem really might not be effective as appropriate or at the level we think so I think for us as athletes, we do not show any disrespect for them.
"It's hard to see a major international meeting to go where there are no technical hiccups. But to say that as an athlete who goes out there to compete I am absolutely looking forward to it," said Huegill.
Other swimmers and Eamon Sullivan and Ashley Callus also said they still intend to compete in Delhi. The diver Matthew Mitcham and Alex Croak also stated that it would not withdraw without a direct recommendation of the Federal Government and Commonwealth Games Association of Australia.
"I am 100 percent sure," said Olympic gold medalist Mitcham.
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