The Indian prime minister is holding talks with senior Commonwealth Games officials to ensure the crisis-hit competition can go ahead, as British teams confirmed that they would attend.
Manmohan Singh will meet his sports minister and top Delhi officials tonight, as Scotland and Wales gave a boost to the games by announcing they would send their athletes to India.
Earlier New Zealand and Canada said they would delay their arrivals because of the poor condition of the accommodation.
A prominent member of the Commonwealth Games organising committee apologised for a "collective failure" as preparations for Delhi 2010 continue to be dogged by problems.
Pictures taken inside the athletes' village show some of the bathrooms in a poor state, with sinks, toilets and showers smeared with stains. The images also show flooding in some rooms and animal footprints over one of the mattresses.
Singh will hold discussions with organisers this evening, although it appears unlikely that he will meet Mike Fennell, the Commonwealth Games chief. Earlier Fennell was said to be seeking guarantees from Singh that the games would go ahead, but he is understood to have received no response from the PM to requests for talks.
The New Zealand Olympic Committee president, Mike Stanley, said the late travel changes would put a strain on preparations for athletes.
"It is tremendously disappointing," he said. "We know how hard this must be for athletes and we're continuing to push for an urgent resolution."
There was good news for the competition's organisers from two of the UK national teams as Wales said it would definitely be going and Scotland said it was more optimistic about the situation.
A statement from the Welsh team said: "Team Wales would like to advise all media that the Commonwealth Games Federation has received assurances from the Delhi 2010 Organising Committee that all venues and village are fit for purpose. We are confident in the assurances that have been provided. The advance party will now be moving into our accommodation and we look forward to welcoming our athletes in the coming days."
Jon Doig, Team Scotland's chef de mission, said he was pleased that the chief minister of Delhi was taking a direct interest. "We are heartened that Sheila Dikshit has personally taken control of the situation and is ensuring that the necessary additional resources are brought in.
"We have continued to make progress addressing the maintenance and operational issues within our own accommodation block and things are looking much better. Therefore, subject to a number of assurances from the organising committee being realised over the next 24 hours, we feel we will be in a position to confirm tomorrow that our team will travel as scheduled on Saturday."
Fennell was met at Delhi airport by Suresh Kalmadi, the chairman of the organising committee, sending conciliatory signs after details emerged of a row with the Commonwealth Games Federation chief executive Mike Hooper.
Kalmadi, who has been keeping low profile over recent days, said he had met all the team leaders now in India and that they were "considerably happier than before".
He said: "I take all criticism in my stride. We will look after everybody well and they will have a great time. I assure you of a good games."
Kalmadi said that there had been problems with the 16 accommodation blocks that had been finished late, but that these had been "sorted out". "Whatever they had doubts about, we are trying to clear that up."
Commonwealth Games: Scotland and Wales to send teams to Delhi | Sport | guardian.co.uk
Manmohan Singh will meet his sports minister and top Delhi officials tonight, as Scotland and Wales gave a boost to the games by announcing they would send their athletes to India.
Earlier New Zealand and Canada said they would delay their arrivals because of the poor condition of the accommodation.
A prominent member of the Commonwealth Games organising committee apologised for a "collective failure" as preparations for Delhi 2010 continue to be dogged by problems.
Pictures taken inside the athletes' village show some of the bathrooms in a poor state, with sinks, toilets and showers smeared with stains. The images also show flooding in some rooms and animal footprints over one of the mattresses.
Singh will hold discussions with organisers this evening, although it appears unlikely that he will meet Mike Fennell, the Commonwealth Games chief. Earlier Fennell was said to be seeking guarantees from Singh that the games would go ahead, but he is understood to have received no response from the PM to requests for talks.
The New Zealand Olympic Committee president, Mike Stanley, said the late travel changes would put a strain on preparations for athletes.
"It is tremendously disappointing," he said. "We know how hard this must be for athletes and we're continuing to push for an urgent resolution."
There was good news for the competition's organisers from two of the UK national teams as Wales said it would definitely be going and Scotland said it was more optimistic about the situation.
A statement from the Welsh team said: "Team Wales would like to advise all media that the Commonwealth Games Federation has received assurances from the Delhi 2010 Organising Committee that all venues and village are fit for purpose. We are confident in the assurances that have been provided. The advance party will now be moving into our accommodation and we look forward to welcoming our athletes in the coming days."
Jon Doig, Team Scotland's chef de mission, said he was pleased that the chief minister of Delhi was taking a direct interest. "We are heartened that Sheila Dikshit has personally taken control of the situation and is ensuring that the necessary additional resources are brought in.
"We have continued to make progress addressing the maintenance and operational issues within our own accommodation block and things are looking much better. Therefore, subject to a number of assurances from the organising committee being realised over the next 24 hours, we feel we will be in a position to confirm tomorrow that our team will travel as scheduled on Saturday."
Fennell was met at Delhi airport by Suresh Kalmadi, the chairman of the organising committee, sending conciliatory signs after details emerged of a row with the Commonwealth Games Federation chief executive Mike Hooper.
Kalmadi, who has been keeping low profile over recent days, said he had met all the team leaders now in India and that they were "considerably happier than before".
He said: "I take all criticism in my stride. We will look after everybody well and they will have a great time. I assure you of a good games."
Kalmadi said that there had been problems with the 16 accommodation blocks that had been finished late, but that these had been "sorted out". "Whatever they had doubts about, we are trying to clear that up."
Commonwealth Games: Scotland and Wales to send teams to Delhi | Sport | guardian.co.uk
