Durban will be "the first African city to host the Commonwealth Games" after being confirmed as the venue for '22, according to the BBC. The city on the east coast of South Africa was "the only remaining bidder after Edmonton's bid team withdrew in February for financial reasons." The Games will begin on July 18 -- "what would have been the 104th birthday of former South African president Nelson Mandela" -- and finish on July 30. Athletes from more than 50 countries -- "most of which are former British colonies -- compete" (BBC, 9/2). The PA reported much of the infrastructure is "already in place, with an athletics track to be installed at the Moses Mabhida Stadium," built for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The venue will have a capacity of 56,000 for the event. Aquatics events will be staged at the Kings Park Pool, with Kings Park Stadium hosting rugby sevens, indoor events at the Durban ICC and Exhibition Centre and the beachfront and harbor used for road cycling and triathlon (PA, 9/2). The NEW ZEALAND HERALD reported Durban, South Africa's third largest city, "had its bid put through a full assessment during this week's Commonwealth Games Federation general assembly in Auckland." South African Olympic Committee President Gideon Sam said, "It is the turn of South Africa to hold this great event. We believe our time has come and that South Africa can put on a show that will do the Commonwealth Games proud" (NZ HERALD, 9/2).
PAVING THE WAY: REUTERS' Greg Stutchbury reported the move "could pave the way for South Africa to make another attempt for the Olympics after Cape Town finished third in bidding" for the 2004 summer Games. Sam, also VP of the Commonwealth Games Federation, said, "The fundamental premise of our submission is that the Games will provide the opportunity at both an economic and social level in particular the development and inspiration of young people not only in South Africa but the rest of the Commonwealth." Bid CEO Mark Alexander added the Games "have been factored into South Africa's long-term infrastructure and social and economic development strategies and would serve as a catalyst for that spending." The country's government estimated that hosting the Games would deliver up to $1.49B in "output to the economy," translating into an additional 11B rand ($820M) GDP growth (REUTERS, 9/2). Stutchbury reported in a separate piece the selection of Durban would "delay any bid from the country to host an Olympics, officials said on Wednesday, effectively ruling themselves out" until at least the 2032 summer Games. Despite winning the Commonwealth Games bid and "having a history" of hosting World Cups for rugby, cricket and football in the past 20 years, South African sports officials said there were "no plans in the immediate future to bid for an Olympics." South Africa Dir General for Sport & Recreation Alec Moemi said, "The South African government has expressed an ambition to host an Olympics and we, in fact, are ready to host it now if the opportunity arises. But we are fairly focused now that we should pay attention to the Commonwealth Games in 2022 and ... we will not intend to bid in the next seven years for anything" (REUTERS, 9/2).
TRACK CYCLING AT RISK: Stutchbury reported in a separate piece track cycling is "at risk of being dropped from the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Durban unless more money is made available" to build a new velodrome in South Africa. Track cycling has been a "regular fixture" on the Commonwealth Games program since '34 but remains an "optional sport" and South African officials said that it could be omitted for '22. South African officials want the Int'l Cycling Union (UCI) to contribute to the cost of building one. Sam said, "I met the president of the International Cycling Union and told him that if he wanted track cycling at 2022 then he needed to come to the party and help us build a velodrome. We cannot afford to build a facility that will cost us millions and not be used" (REUTERS, 9/2).
BIGGER ROLE: In Auckland, Tess Nichol reported New Zealand will take a "bigger role in running the Commonwealth Games Federation" following the appointment of its Olympic Committee CEO Kereyn Smith as VP of the organization. Smith was elected to the position at the CGF general assembly. Smith: "It's been some time since we've been actively involved in the leadership of the Commonwealth movement." She said the federation "had aspirations to host similar events in future." Smith: "The nature and the significance of the decisions that were made here, it puts New Zealand on the map and we're seen to be associated with that stepping forward of the movement and that can only be good for us" (NZ HERALD, 9/2).
YOUTH GAMES IN JEOPARDY: Stutchbury reported in a separate piece the CGF's desire to develop competition for younger athletes "survived one blow but suffered another within minutes at the organization's general assembly on Wednesday." The organization had "barely stared down a request" for sanctions to be leveled against Samoa, just days before the 2015 Commonwealth Youth Games began, before Caribbean nation St. Lucia withdrew from hosting the 2017 Games for "financial reasons." Samoa, which is hosting the fifth edition of the Youth Games from Sept. 5-11, had "refused to issue visas to the Sierra Leone team due to the fear of the Ebola virus in west Africa" (REUTERS, 9/1).
