Durban risks losing Commonwealth Games

DURBAN’s chances of hosting the 2022 Commonwealth Games, which has been placed in serious doubt recently, will be made known next year.

The Commonwealth Games Federation, announced yesterday that it would make its final decision on whether Durban would remain host in six weeks’ time.

The city won the right in September 2015, but that has been placed in jeopardy because it failed to provide preliminary guarantees and obligations within certain time frames.

The SA Sports Confedera- tion and Olympic Committee (Sascoc) and the government were given until November 30 to resolve the outstanding criteria.

Those issues included financial and other governance guarantees, the establishment of a local organising committee, accommodation of athletes and technical issues related to sporting venues.

It has been estimated that the games would cost R6.4 billion, and the government was expected to provide the required backing for Africa’s first shot at the staging of this event.

But the spin-offs from Durban hosting the games were a projected profit margin of R20bn, the event would draw 1.4 million visitors and around 11 000 jobs would be created.

Martin Reynolds, the federation’s communications head, said the criteria were the same for all host cities. It outlined the partnership approach between the federation, the host city and the nation to ensure a successful Games and an enduring legacy.

“The original deadline has long since passed. So, while remaining committed to the inspiring potential of a Commonwealth Games in Durban, the General Assembly, at its meeting in Edmonton, Canada, in October 2016, approved a motion to implement a final deadline of November 30 for Durban to resolve all outstanding matters in relation to its bid,” revealed Reynolds.

He said once the federation received from Durban its final submissions on or before November 30, it would evaluate the submissions thoroughly and then make a final recommendation to the federation’s executive board on Durban’s ability to host the Games.

Sascoc could not be reached for comment at the time of publication, while the Department of Sport and Recreation refused to comment until submission had been made to the federation.