By Shifa Jahan
BENGALURU (Reuters) -The Indian city of Ahmedabad in the state of Gujarat has been recommended as the host city for the 2030 Centenary Commonwealth Games, the Commonwealth Sport Executive Board said on Wednesday.
The board said it will propose Ahmedabad, also known as Amdavad, in the western Indian state of Gujarat, to the full Commonwealth Sport membership for approval at the General Assembly in Glasgow on November 26.
The recommendation follows an evaluation process of candidate cities. Both Ahmedabad and Abuja, Nigeria, had submitted bids.
The 2030 Games are set to commemorate 100 years since the inaugural event in Hamilton, Canada. The north American country was expected to be in the running but did not bid.
The board also said it would continue working with Nigeria to help realise its ambition of hosting future Games, including potential consideration for 2034.
The recommendation for India to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games has given fresh impetus to its bid to stage the 2036 Olympics in Ahmedabad.
The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) pledged in July to tackle doping and governance issues to strengthen its candidacy.
“India being recommended to host the Centenary Commonwealth Games in 2030 is a proud milestone in India’s journey as a global sporting powerhouse,” India’s IOC member Nita Ambani said in a statement.
“This moment marks another step forward towards our shared dream of bringing the Olympic Games to India.”
Ambani is the founder of Reliance Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Reliance Industries, India’s most valuable company, which also sponsors the IOA.
India, having first hosted the Commonwealth Games in Delhi in 2010, pledged an event reflecting the Commonwealth’s diversity and scale. The 2022 Games were shifted to Birmingham after the South African city of Durban withdrew due to financial issues.
The bid is a boost for the multi-sport event after fears Glasgow 2026 might be the last edition.
The Scottish city will host a pared-down version of the Games next year after the Australian state of Victoria, the original host, pulled out citing escalating costs.
“Today’s recommendation is strategically important for the future of the Commonwealth Sport Movement. It builds on the platform that Glasgow 2026 will provide and sets a clear direction for the years ahead,” Katie Sadleir, Chief Executive Officer of Commonwealth Sport said in a statement.
(Reporting by Shifa Jahan in BengaluruEditing by Christian Radnedge and Toby Davis)
