How can Commonwealth Games be inclusive if we ban seekers of sanctuary from helping at them?

We all know how the Games Makers were such an important part of last year's triumphantly successful London Olympics. When Glasgow holds the Commonwealth Games next year, we would hope for a similar smash hit.

Sadly, though, the recruitment process for the volunteers who will help to run Glasgow's Games has been called into question by the Scottish Refugee Council. The Glaswegian reports that the Games Organising Committee have effectively excluded those who seek sanctuary in this country from applying as only those who are eligible to work in the UK can apply.

Now, the UK Borders Agency is, in my opinion, one of the most unfair and unpleasant organisations we have in this country. But even they allow seekers of sanctuary to volunteer.

I hope that this is just an oversight on the part of the Games Organising Committee and that they can be persuaded to relax the requirements to allow seekers of sanctuary the chance to apply for an unforgettable experience. Given that Glasgow has the second highest number of people who have fled to this country to escape persecution, we should include them in the life of our country.

I and others have raised this with Secretary of State for Scotland, Michael Moore who, this morning, was supporting the volunteer project in Parliament. He's not in charge of this process - the Scottish Government is - but it would be good if he were able to politely ask the Games Organising Committee to think again.

Child Labour: the real reason not to go to the Commonwealth Games

There is nothing good about the problems surrounding the Commonwealth Games. However, the fact that the athletes' village appears to be a midden is nothing compared to reports that child labour is being used on the site.

It's not as if this is something new,either. Way back in February, the Herald Sun in Australia pointed out that children were being used to build drainage systems. Apparently the parents were paid more if they brought their kids to work, a bonus which brought their daily income from a disgrace to a pittance.

It breaks my heart to think that in other parts of the world, kids my daughter's age and younger, who should be learning and having fun, are put to work in terrible conditions.

To me, it seems that the Commonwealth Games organisers are just as responsible as the Indian Government for not monitoring progress more effectively and ensuring that those working on the Games were being treated properly. I'd be interested in knowing what they knew, when they knew it and what action they took to prevent it.

I think the use of child labour is enough of a reason for athletes not to go to the Games at all.  I don't expect there to be an international boycott for that reason, though. The organisers must be more diligent in making sure these abuses don't happen for future Games, though.