Games-'Strong candidate' India upbeat about 2030 Commonwealth Games after delegation visit
NEW DELHI (Reuters) -Robust backing from the government and a desire to stage big-ticket events make India a strong candidate to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games, a top Indian Olympic Association (IOA) official told Reuters.
The world's most populous nation is bidding for the 2030 edition of the Commonwealth Games in Ahmedabad to boost its bigger dream of hosting the 2036 Olympic Games at the western Indian city.
A Commonwealth Sports delegation visited Ahmedabad last week to share their experience from the previous Games and help the Indian organisers prepare a comprehensive bid to be submitted by the August 31 deadline.
"First and foremost, the mood of the country is upbeat for sporting activities and there is strong will of the government to host global sporting events," IOA executive council member Harpal Singh said by telephone.
"India wants to host larger sporting events - be it Commonwealth Games, Asian Games, or Olympics - and we have the full backing of the government.
"The existing infrastructure is very good and the roadmap for future infrastructure gave a lot of confidence to the delegation."
"Overall, I would say India is a very strong candidate and we'll be very competent to host the 2030 Games," said Singh.
The IOA is not taking anything for granted though, and is making sure Ahmedabad ticks every box to be unveiled as the host city at the Commonwealth Sport General Assembly in Glasgow in November.
"The delegation is looking into various issues - like sustainability, gender-balance and eco-friendliness," said Singh, also a member of the sports committee of the Commonwealth federation.
"They are looking particularly into the sustainability issue. The Games has to be sustainable beyond 2030 and must also align with the UN sustainable development goals.
"It must inspire the youth of the Commonwealth community while showcasing our diverse culture."
India hosted the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, but the event was blighted by allegations of corruption and mismanagement.
The country is determined to make a better impression in 2030 to bolster its bid to host the Olympic Games six years later.
"We've not hosted (since 2010) a major sports event with so many countries across all six regions," Singh said.
"So it will be a right step in that direction for our final dream of 2036."
Canada and Nigeria are also in the fray to host the 2030 edition of the Games featuring athletes from 70-odd Commonwealth nations and territories.
(Reporting by Amlan Chakraborty in New Delhi; editing by Christian Radnedge)
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
23 minutes ago
- The Star
Cricket-Root plans to use his experience to end Ashes win drought in Australia
FILE PHOTO: England's Joe Root celebrates after reaching his century in the fifth test against India at the Oval, London, in August 2025. Action Images via Reuters/Paul Childs/File Photo (Reuters) -England batter Joe Root said his experience of 158 tests makes him better equipped than ever to end a victory drought in Australia, as he ramps up preparations for the upcoming Ashes series. Root, who moved to second on the all-time test run-scorer charts during England's five-match series against India, which was drawn 2-2 earlier this month, has accumulated 13,543 runs in tests, trailing only India great Sachin Tendulkar (15,921). Despite his prolific record, the 34-year-old Root has yet to win a test or score a test century in Australia, where he averages 35.68 from 27 innings with nine half-centuries. "Having played in Australia a couple of times before, now going with 150-odd test caps under my belt, I feel I couldn't be more ready for it," Root told British media on Thursday. "The thing that stands out for me is I probably wanted it (a century) way too much the last couple of times. It took me away from what was important." Australia won both the 2017-18 series and following home series in 2021-22 4-0 before drawing 2-2 in England in 2023 to retain the urn. England last triumphed in Australia in 2010-11, which is also the last time the tourists won a test Down Under. "There were a lot of distractions," Root said of the last two Ashes series in Australia. "I was captain, COVID (in 2021-22), there was the (Ben) Stokes incident the time before that (when Stokes was ruled out of the 2017-18 tour after an incident at a Bristol nightclub), the Jonny (Bairstow) headbutt incident as well. "This time I want to just go and enjoy the tour for what it is. It is a beautiful country it is a great place to go and play cricket. I know if I put my best performances in then everything else will look after itself." This year's Ashes begins in Perth on November 21 before a day-night match in Brisbane, the third test in Adelaide and the traditional Melbourne and Sydney tests in December and January. (Reporting by Pearl Josephine Nazare in Bengaluru; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman)
The Star
4 hours ago
- The Star
Surfing-Australians Picklum, Robinson claim Tahiti Pro wins, head to Fiji finale
(Reuters) -Australia's Jack Robinson and Molly Picklum put on backhand tube-riding clinics to win the Lexus Tahiti Pro in pumping surf on Wednesday, cementing their places in the world championship finals to be held in Fiji later this month. The final event of the regular season, held at the Paris 2024 Olympic venue of Teahupo'o, provided high drama in the championship race and in the water, with beautifully groomed and well overhead barrels throughout the competition. Robinson, the Paris Games silver medallist, needed to win the entire event to force his way into the World Surf League's season finale in Fiji. He got off to the perfect start in the title heat against California's Griffin Colapinto, threading a long, deep barrel for a near-perfect 9.5 out of 10 on his first wave. Colapinto replied with an excellent 8.0 of his own speedy tube, but Robinson quickly backed up his first score with a 7.40 to finish with a two-wave total of 16.90 out of 20 to Colapinto's 13.67. "We're right where we're meant to be," Robinson said in the channel, hugging his wife and young son. "Very blessed and very blessed to be going to Fiji." Both Robinson and Colapinto had starred during a massive swell in the warm-up period for the Tahiti event and carried that form, racking up some of highest scores of the competition on their roads to the final. Picklum was also on a heater throughout the event, scoring seven excellent waves of eight points or more, including three in the final against California's Caitlin Simmers. "It was sick. Honestly, it was so nice to just make a couple of waves and not get so flogged. I felt like I earned my stripes this event," the 22-year-old said after her second win of the season. "I'm so stoked. Like, what a special place Tahiti is." Simmers also charged hard in the final, as she had done all event, but failed to make her waves and took some heavy beatings, needing to sit in the channel at one point to gather herself. Picklum finished with a two wave total of 17.26 out of a possible 20, while Simmers ended with 4.94 points. The top five men and women surfers will now compete in the World Surf League's one-day, winner-takes-all Finals later this month in Fiji - another powerful, left-hand reef break. 2025 WSL FINALISTS MEN Yago Dora (Brazil) Jordy Smith (South Africa) Griffin Colapinto (USA) Jack Robinson (Australia) Italo Ferreira (Brazil) WOMEN Molly Picklum (Australia) Gabriela Bryan (Hawaii) Caitlin Simmers (USA) Caroline Marks (USA) Bettylou Sakura Johnson (Hawaii) (Reporting by Lincoln Feast in Sydney; Editing by Michael Perry)
New Straits Times
4 hours ago
- New Straits Times
Magda Linette upsets No. 4 Jessica Pegula at Cincinnati Open
POLAND's Magda Linette, the 31st seed, knocked out fourth-seeded American Jessica Pegula 7-6 (5), 3-6, 6-3 in third-round action of the Cincinnati Open on Wednesday in Mason, Ohio. The match was carried over from Tuesday due to inclement weather in the area. They resumed Wednesday afternoon at the onset of the third set. Up 4-3 in the deciding set, Linette broke Pegula and then served out the match to advance to the Round of 16. It was the first time Linette won, or even took a set, off Pegula in four career matches. "It feels so good. I had so many tough matches on this court," Linette said. "I lost so many three-setters. I never really got close to getting a set off her before. To me, it means so much. "She's such an unbelievable ball-striker and competitor. Unbelievable person off the court. I just feel this day is really special that I got the chance to beat her." Pegula, who advanced to her first Grand Slam final in last year's US Open, failed to advance beyond the Round of 32 in the National Bank Open in Montreal as well as the Cincinnati Open – the two lead-up events to this year's US Open that begins Aug. 24. No. 9 Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan highlighted the evening action by rallying for a 6-7 (3), 6-4, 6-2 victory over No. 6 Madison Keys. Her reward is a quarterfinal matchup with top-seeded Aryna Sabalenka, as the reigning Cincinnati Open champion from Belarus converted five of seven break points to earn a 6-1, 7-5 win over Spain's Jessica Bouzas Maneiro. In afternoon play, No. 3 seed Iga Swiatek of Poland coasted past Romania's Sorana Cirstea 6-4, 6-3 to become the first player to punch her ticket to the quarterfinals, She awaits the winner of an all-Russian matchup between No. 12 Ekaterina Alexandrova and No. 28 Anna Kalinskaya that was being contested later Wednesday. Veronika Kudermetova of Russia rallied to upset No. 16 Clara Tauson of Denmark 3-6, 7-6 (4), 6-4. Kudermetova didn't face a break point and lost just three service points in the deciding third set to move into the fourth round against Linette. — REUTERS
