Athletes Arrive For Glasgow 2014

Thousands of the world's top athletes have started arriving in Glasgow ahead of the 20th Commonwealth Games. Sportsmen and women from 71 Commonwealth nations and territories have been arriving at Glasgow Airport and transported to the Athletes' Village in the city's east end ahead of Wednesday's opening ceremony. Games officials say an outbreak of norovirus affecting 53 staff at the accommodation site is now under control. A temporary toilet facility, identified as a possible source of the sickness and diarrhoea bug, has been shut down. Across Glasgow, traffic restrictions are now in place as special lanes for Games vehicles come into force. More than 4,500 athletes will be competing in 17 sports from July 24 to August 3. The Games officially kick off on Wednesday with a ceremony at the home of Celtic FC. Rod Stewart, Susan Boyle and Amy Macdonald are billed to sing at the event, which will be broadcast to an expected one billion viewers. The competition is taking place across 11 venues in Glasgow plus two outside the city - diving will take place in Edinburgh and Carnoustie in Angus will host the shooting. Glasgow won the right to host the competition in 2007 and has since witnessed a major building and refurbishment programme. In Dalmarnock in the east end, 700 new homes have been built as part of the Athletes' Village as well as the Emirates Arena and Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome. Even Hampden Park, home of Scotland's national football team, has been transformed into an athletics track. At Glasgow Airport today, pipers and Highland dancers greeted competitors as they collected their kits. A spokesman said: “We're expecting 1,000 athletes from approximately 25 countries to travel through the airport today. “We're laying on a lot of entertainment in order to give them a warm welcome.” Among the teams arriving in Glasgow today are Malaysia, Northern Ireland, New Zealand and Nigeria.

• Commonwealth Games
• Glasgow 2014
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