It’s official: Ahmedabad to host 2030 CWG

Glasgow: The Indian city of Ahmedabad was formally awarded hosting rights of the 2030 Commonwealth Games during Commonwealth Sport’s general assembly here on Wednesday, paving the way for the multi-sport 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 Olympics host in 2036. Ahmedabad, the city which is in the race for Olympics 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 Commonwealth Sport decided to instead consider the African nation for 2034.