IT’S OFFICIAL: Ahmedabad formallyawarded hosting rights of 2030 CWG

 

 

 

THE Indian city of Ahmedabad was formally awarded hosting rights of the 2030 Commonwealth Games during Commonwealth Sport’s general assembly here onWednesday, paving the way for the multisport event’s return to the country after two decades. It was a mere formality for the general assembly of 74 members to put a seal of approval on India’s bid after Ahmedabad was recommended as the proposed host of the centenary edition by the Commonwealth Sport’s Executive Board last month.

 

India last hosted the CWG in 2010 in Delhi. The Executive Board’s recommendation followed a process overseen by the Commonwealth Sport’s Evaluation Committee. “India brings scale, youth, ambition, rich culture, enormous sporting passion and relevance...We start our next century for the Commonwealth Games in good health,” said Dr Donald Rukare, President of Commonwealth Sport. The decision also bolstered India’s ambition to be an Olympic host in 2036.

 

Ahmedabad, the city which is in the race for Olympic hosting rights as well, has upgraded its sports infrastructure on a war footing in the last one decade. India was facing competition from the Nigerian city of Abuja for the 2030 bid. But CommonwealthSportdecided toinstead consider the African nation for the 2034 edition. For the 2010 Delhi Games, India had spent close to Rs 70,000 crore to host the 2010 edition of the Games, far exceeding the initial estimate of Rs 1600 crore. The quadrennial event has beenstruggling tostay relevant and find willing hosts for a while. “We aredeeply honouredby the trust shown by Commonwealth Sport.

 

The 2030 Games will not only celebrate a 100 years of the Commonwealth Movement but also lay the foundation for the next century,” PT Usha, President of the Commonwealth Games Association of India and the IOA, said. “It will bring together athletes, communities, and cultures from across the Commonwealth in a spirit of friendship and progress,” she added.