Commonwealth Games will promote participation of women in sports

New Delhi, May 11: Air Marshall (Retd) Padma Bandhopadhyay will be the Deputy Mayor of the CWG Games Village.

Commonwealth Games (CWG), slated to be held here from October 3, will see bigger participation of women on and off the field and Ms Bandhopadya's appointment means that issues relating to female athletes will be taken care of in a better manner.

This was stated by chairman of the Organising committee (OC) Suresh Kalmadi at the first Women Sub-committee (of the Games) meeting here today.

Kalmadi said 40 per cent of the workforce in the CWG OC Delhi 2010 is women and it shows our commitment to give equal participation to them.

''Half of the 8000 athletes coming to participate in the Games are women and they will be accommodated in the Games Village. I propose to have a woman as the Deputy Mayor of the Village so that women issues can be taken care of in a better way,'' she said.

Thereafter, the Sub-committee proposed Air Marshall (Retd) Padma Bandhopadhyay to be the Deputy Mayor of the Games Village.

Kalmadi also suggested to the Sub- committee to ensure greater participation of women in the Domestic Sector of the Queen's Baton Relay 2010 Delhi and other functionalities of the Games like hospitality.

Sub- committee Chairperson Sara Pilot, in her presentation, gave the slogan of voice, choice, freedom and rights for women. She also reiterated that a national level impetus needs to be created for women related issues.

Kalmadi gave his full support to suggestions given by the members on setting up a Women Help-desk in the Games Village, training volunteers and workforce in a gender sensitive way and enhancing female viewership of the Games.