By Tom Degun

Commonwealth Games Delhi 2010 timing systemApril 2 - Swiss Timing, the umbrella firm for Omega, a worldwide Olympic partner, has claimed that they are preparing to take legal action against organisers of the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi over unpaid invoices as its executives faced charges of supplying equipment at exorbitant rates.


Among those due to be issued summons by India's Special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is Christophe Berthaud, the general manager of Omega Timing, the company responsible for the timekeeping and data handling at every Olympics since 1976.

The summons have been forwarded to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), who will be responsible for serving them in Switzerland on Berthaud, sales and marketing manager Silvio Chianese and multi sports events and sales manager Joseph Spiri.

Last month Judge Ravinder Kaur in New Delhi claimed there was "incriminating material" linking the firm to alleged kickbacks in a contract it won for the Games

He named Berthaud, Chianese and Spiri as being linked to the Indian contract and asked state prosecutors to ensure their "presence before the court" on May 28.

Chianese and Spiri are no longer with Swiss Timing, it is believed.

Police have also charged several Indian officials including Delhi 2010 chairman Suresh Kalmadi with criminal conspiracy, cheating and corruption, including awarding a contract to install the Timing, Scoring and Results (TSR) system for the event to Swiss Timing.

A police chargesheet framed in 2010 accused Swiss Timing and its partners of causing "a wrongful loss of 956 million rupees" (£11 million/$17 million/€13 million).

In addition to the provision of official timekeeping services at the Olympic and Paralympics Games for the Swatch Group, Swiss Timing remains active on behalf of group brands at numerous European and World Championships and major multi-sport events.

Christophe Berthaud OmegaChristophe Berthaud, the general manager of Omega Timing, is among those accused of supplying equipment for the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi at exorbitant rates

"Swiss Timing, the world leader in timekeeping and data-handling, denies again all the repeated allegations and rumours referring to any irregularities committed during the last Commonwealth Games 2010 in Delhi," a Swiss Timing spokesperson told insidethegames.

"The continuous allegations are absolutely unfounded.

"In addition, the [Delhi 2010] Organising Committee has yet to pay the remaining 10 per cent of the invoice according to the stipulations of the contract.

"Swiss Timing is presently preparing to take legal action against the Organising Committee in order to be paid the outstanding amount."

Kalmadi is currently on trial with nine others in Delhi, including the Organising Committee's former secretary general Lalit Bhanot, charged under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Prevention of Corruption (PC) Act, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison.

Others charged include V K Verma, Surjit Lal, A S V Prasad and M Jayachandran, who all worked for Delhi 2010 in senior positions.

But the key focus is Kalmadi, who is also the former President of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA).

Kalmadi who was released on bail in January last after nine months in custody shortly after being was sacked as Delhi 2010 chairman in April 2011 after the corruption allegations were made against him.

The CBI began a full-fledged investigation and some of Kalmadi and his aides in 2011, where the former Delhi 2010 chairman was questioned three times.

The CBI also raided his homes and offices in Delhi and Pune to gather evidence while he was arrested after a fourth round of interrogation.

Kalmadi's lawyers have continued to maintain that he was not aware of the details of any of the corrupt deals that took place.

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February 2013: Indian court frames corruption charges against Kalmadi and aides
January 2013: Indian court to frame charges against Kalmadi next month
December 2012: Kalmadi officially charged in connection with Delhi 2010 corruption allegations