Dame Kelly Holmes hits out over Englands Commonwealth Games absentees

By Rod Gilmour 233PM GMT twenty-two March 2010

Doubling up Holmes became the initial British womanlike to win dual golds at the same Games Photo PA

Holmes, 39, noticed the Commonwealth Games as a stepping mill to the Olympics during her career but, as October"s Games pull nearer, is dismayed that some-more intensity award winners have additionally cold over scheduling commitments.

The 2004 stand in Olympic bullion medallist pronounced "Im unhappy to contend that hasnt abated and for a little reason a couple of athletes have pronounced they dont instruct to contest since of security concerns.

England group will transport to Delhi Medal hopes pinned on swimming Glasgow Commonwealth Games trademark roughly matching to progressing pattern Team England pointer Adidas Al-Qaeda targets India competition Willstrop hopes for Delhi remit

"We have a security group out in Delhi that are giving us unchanging reports and we havent had one singular inform to indicate that we should be pulling out at this stage."

Holmes combined "It would turn a domestic issue if we pulled out and it would have an outcome on us as a republic for the 2012 Olympic Games."

Holmes"s short as boss is to modernize the interest and open notice of the Games but the withdrawals of Kelly Sotherton, Jessica and Phillips Idowu are a blow to England"s award chances in Delhi.

In Melbourne 3 years ago, Australia won 84 bullion whilst England came afar with 36 tip lectern medals.

Last week cook de mission Craig Hunter reliable that England would "categorically" be promulgation a group of 560 athletes to Delhi to contest opposite seventeen sports.

Hunter, who not long ago led a five-man commission to revisit each venue in the Indian capital, pronounced "Individuals will be means to confirm if they instruct to go, for whatever reason, and we will apply oneself personal choices. But the competitions out there will be really critical for most athletes forward of 2012."

In Janaury, England squish No 2 James Willstrop pronounced that pulling out of Delhi would be a "shocking disappointment" as the patrol target to jot down a five-medal purify brush in October.