Guangzhou : China has moved to swiftly reassure athletes and officials over safety during the 16th Asian Games after rumours surfaced that an Iraqi athlete had been stabbed at the Athletes' Village here late on Wednesday.
Rumours started making the rounds early yesterday morning that the athlete had been stabbed by a fellow competitor in the Athletes' Village, but organising officials announced everything was under control at a hastily-arranged press conference.
Officials from the Iraqi delegation remained hesitant and delayed an official request for an interview to Gulf News on the grounds of attending to more pressing issues.
"This is not a good time to speak as I have to go to the airport to pick up some officials arriving from Iraq," Haitham Abdul Hamid from the Iraq National Olympic Committee told Gulf News when contacted by telephone last night.
Evasive
At the press conference, officials were evasive about the rumoured incident, but stressed arrangements were being made to keep the Asian Games safe and sound when questioned.
"We believe we can deliver not only a safe Asian Games but a public friendly one. The safety of events in all venues will remain our priority and we will deploy the police force to most needed areas and work jointly with the communities," He Guangping, deputy director general of the Department of Public Security of Guangdong told media at the press briefing.
"We believe a peaceful and harmonious society is essential to the safety of all sports teams, technical staff, team officials and spectators and to the success of the Games," he added.
Smashed
Ticket scalping
Chinese police said yesterday they had smashed a ticket scalping syndicate at the Asian Games in Guangzhou and arrested 196 people as part of a security blitz to safeguard the southern Chinese city.
The November 12 to 27 Asian Games is the largest sports event to be held in China since the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Authorities have been on high alert for any signs of trouble including the possible risk of terrorist attacks, deploying over 438,000 police personnel in a ring of steel around the city to check passengers, goods and vehicles at key hubs.
While police officials said there have been no major security breaches at the games so far, including at an elaborate opening ceremony.
— Reuters
