Ahmedabad may bid to host 2026 Commonwealth Games after Australia backs out

The Gujarat government sources told TOI that the city have been preparing to bid for 2030 Commonwealth Games and have been setting itself up for the infrastructure. The state had earlier set its target to complete the work by 2028, however, sources added that work will be completed before the 2026 games. The city is, therefore, considering to bid to host for the 2026 Commonwealth Games. 

The sources also added it hopes that the Centre considers Ahmedabad bidding for the games. 

“The projects of Ahmedabad’s bid for the 2036 Olympics will be completed by 2026. Following the development of Victoria pulling out of hosting the 2026 Commonwealth Games, Gujarat is confident that it will get a nod from the Union government to make a bid for the 2026 Games at Ahmedabad,” sources claimed as quoted by TOI.

India had previously hosted the Games in 2010. Earlier in 2019, it had also shown interest in hosting either the 2026 or 2030 edition of the commonwealth games. IOA secretary general Rajiv Mehta had told PTI at that time that, “We have decided to make a bid for 2026 or 2030 Commonwealth Games and we have also decided to send our contingent to Birmingham for the 2022 Games.” 

In 2022, the English city of Birmingham had stepped in to save the Games after South Africa was stripped of its hosting rights. The British city had initially been slated to host the upcoming games and the CGF was left with very few alternatives after the switch. Victoria had emerged as the only viable candidate after several other cities pulled out of the bidding process over cost concerns. 

Victoria state had earlier hosted the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne. The most recent edition held in Australia was on the Gold Coast, Queensland state, in 2018. The Gold Coast was part of the southeast Queensland bid that in 2021 was awarded rights to the 2032 Olympics.

After Victoria backed out, a statement from the Commonwealth Sports Movement described the choice as “hugely disappointing” for both athletes and authorities. The group said that the $6 billion sum was 50 percent greater than what the Victorian government had only last month recommended.

In a statement, the CGF said it was given only eight hours’ notice of the decision.

“We are disappointed that we were only given eight hours’ notice and that no consideration was given to discussing the situation to jointly find solutions prior to this decision being reached by the Government. Up until this point, the Government had advised that sufficient funding was available to deliver the Victoria 2026 Commonwealth Games,” the statement by CGF further read.

Australia – who have won 984 gold, 820 silver, and 759 bronze medals so far in CWG – have hosted the Commonwealth Games five times.

The 2026 Games had been scheduled to start form 17-29 March in Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo and Gippsland. 

Meawnhile, the Commonwealth Games started out as the British Empire Games in 1930 at Hamilton, Canada, and since 1978 has operated under its current branding. England, Australia, New Zealand, Wales, Jamaica, Scotland, Malaysia and India have hosted the Games, which are staged every four years and involve teams from 54 members of the Commonwealth network and 17 overseas territories and island states.

(With inputs from ANI)

Updated: 19 Jul 2023, 01:31 PM IST