Team Kalmadi defends consultants it hired.

Suresh Kalmadi has challenged new allegations of corruption outlined in an interim report by the CAG or Comptroller and Auditor General of India. The document indicts the finian rung of the Commonwealth Games: Kalmadi, who is Chairman of the commonwealth Games' Organizing Committee; Mike Fennel, President of the Commonwealth Games' Federation; and Chief Executive Officer Mike Hooper. The interim report suggests gigantic lapses in the way companies were chosen to handle broadcast rights and sponsorship rights. By selecting Fast Track Sales of London to handle the broadcast rights, the report suggests that Rs 24 crore was lost in revenue. The other bidders were not studied before Fast Track was awarded the contract. For SMAM, the Australian company hired to bring in international advertisers and sponsors, the CAG interim report states that while four companies wanted to apply for the contract, only one bid - from SMAM - was considered. After SMAM shot into the headlines last week,Team Kalmadi said its contract has been cancelled for "non-performance." The sponsorship managed so far for the Games is less than half of the target. For the Queen's Baton Relay in October last year, the interim report says that the consultants chosen for the ceremony were, bizarrely, the highest bidder. By using Maxxam International, the interim report states, Rs 6.16 crore was wasted.