New Delhi: Britain's Princess Diana may have died in a car crash in 1997, but New Delhi Commonwealth Games boss Suresh Kalmadi thanked her for being at the opening ceremony on Tuesday.
The blundering chairman of the organising committee made the faux pas at a press conference to update reporters on the troubled Games' progress.
In pictures: Action from the Commonwealth Games
"Yes, Princess Diana was there," he said before correcting himself. "Prince Charles and [Camilla] the Duchess of Cornwall. Now they have gone off and they appreciated all the efforts made here."
Kalmadi has been the face of the Games but was booed at the opening ceremony after a shambolic build-up.
The besieged organisers defended the showpiece on Tuesday, insisting problems occured at all major multi-sport events and they were not trying to brush anything under the carpet.
Despite a successful opening ceremony, Kalmadi and Commonwealth Games Federation boss Michael Fennell admitted at the press conference there were ongoing problems, particularly with empty stadiums, but insisted they were being fixed.
"There's been a number of operational issues and we are having daily meetings of various groups," said Fennell. "We met this morning and went through a lot of issues like transport, security and accreditation.
"There were issues to deal with and we assigned those issues to people to correct and we expect them to be corrected during the course of the day. This is a daily thing so we keep on top of the issues. So far, we are very pleased with how things are going."
From faulty weigh-in scales at the boxing, to the main screen at the tennis centre not working, and row after row of empty seats in stadiums, the Games have been dogged by setbacks.
But Fennell insisted this was normal. "During the course of any Games, even if you have perfect organisation, there are issues," he said.
"That's why we meet every day to identify them and deal with them, so there is no ending point until the Games are over. We'll deal with the issues and it quite normal."
In a press conference where the word 'tomorrow' was a frequent response when asked when everything would be running smoothly, Fennell denied they were attempting to gloss over the problems. "No-one is sweeping anything under the carpet. We are dealing with the issues now."
Kalmadi said the Games were on track.
"There have been high level performances so far and I feel they will be higher than any other Games," he said.
"The Games are appreciated by all athletes and now it is almost trouble free. There were problems with transport and we have solved that today so there won't be any tomorrow. There were problems in catering also, but it is being sorted out."
On why there were empty venues, Kalmadi blamed ticket booths not being set up outside stadiums. "On spectator galleries being unsold, well some were good, like the swimming, and now it is alright," he said.
"We have set up in every stadium now ticket box offices. There were problems, some of the ticket stalls were not put up, but all the stalls are up now at all the stadiums. The situation has been rectified," he said.
The Games, featuring more than 4,000 athletes, run until October 14.
