M A I N   N E W S

India to host 2010 Commonwealth Games
E. Eswar

Montego Bay (Jamaica), November 14
India’s last minute offer of $ 7.2 million for athlete training tilted the scale in its favour as New Delhi got overwhelming support from member countries to host the 2010 Commonwealth Games.

India earned the right to host the games by 46 votes to 22 secured by Hamilton, Canada, in a secret ballot during the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) meeting in this Caribbean island country last night.

“I am happy to announce that the host of the 2010 Commonwealth Games will be Delhi in India,” CGF President Mike Fennel announced soon after the voting, much to the relief of a 50-member Indian delegation here which had put in a lot of hard work in the past few days to win the bid.

It was third time lucky for India, the largest Commonwealth country and home to 50 per cent of the Commonwealth population, since earlier they had twice bid unsuccessfully for the games.

It will become only the second Asian nation, after Malaysia (1998), and the third developing country, after Jamaica (1966) to host the games. Canada have already staged the event four times. The previous edition of the games was held in Manchester in 2002 while the next in 2006 will be hosted by Melbourne.

Last night’s meeting saw 68 out of 72 members exercising their voting right while two countries — South Pacific nations Nauru and Vanuatu — remained absent. 

The two members who did not cast their votes were not known immediately.

The theme ‘New Frontiers and New Friendships’, the government’s decision to underwrite the total cost of the games and a last minute offer of $ 7.2 million to train athletes clinched the decision in India’s favour.

India’s offer of $ 7.2 million — $ 100,000 to the Olympic committees of each of the Commonwealth countries-bettered Canada’s promise of $ 3.8 million even as the latter cried foul.

The Indian delegation comprising Indian Olympic Association President Suresh Kalmadi, secretary Randhir Singh, Union Sports Minister Vikram Verma, Lt-Governor of Delhi Vijai Kapoor, legendary cricketer Sunil Gavaskar, ace shooter Anjali Bhagwat and former world billiards champion Michael Ferreira addressed the members before the voting started, while Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee delivered a video message.

The sentimental note expressed in their presentations, that India had not hosted the games in 50 years while Canada had done so four times, won the bid for India.

Vajpayee said "my government has taken the decision to fully underwrite the cost of the games. India is one of the fast growing economies of the world. We are the leaders in information technology.

"The games will offer new market opportunities not only for India but for all the Commonwealth nations," Vajpayee said.

In his presentation, Kalmadi announced that India was committed to give a grant of $ 100,000 to each of the 72 Commonwealth countries to train and equip their athletes, drawing loud applause from the delegates.

"This grant will be paid immediately following the Melbourne (Commonwealth) games in 2006," Kalmadi said, submitting a letter of commitment signed by him and Randhir Singh to Fennell.

Asked whether India was planning to include cricket in the games, Kalmadi replied the sport was not part of the 15 events agreed to, but added that addition of cricket would enable India to double the grant already announced.

Amongst the sportspersons, India’s campaign was spearheaded by Gavaskar, an immensely popular figure in the Caribbean, who in his trademark style highlighted the country’s potential take the games to new heights.

"India has successfully organised two cricket World Cups. More than 70 per cent of the $ 40 million sponsorship of the International Cricket Council comes from India. India is the fuel that drives the financial engine of the ICC," Gavaskar said.

Gavaskar also thanked the Pakistani delegation for supporting the Indian bid.

"Salaam and thank you, Pakistani delegation, thank you for your gesture," Gavaskar said as the packed audience applauded to yet another master stroke by the legendary batsman.

It was a big disappointment for Canada since they had hoped to return the games to its birthplace for the 80th anniversary. The inaugural edition, then called the British Empire Games, was held in Hamilton in 1930.

A teary-eyed Jagoda Pike, president of Hamilton’s 80-member delegation, upset at the developments, criticised India for the last minute $ 7.2 million offer.

"We are obviously disappointed, but we are walking away from this with our integrity," she said.

"We are not going to play the game that India has played.

"We are not going to go down the road. When you go down that road, the price of winning is just too high," Pike said.

In its bid, Delhi had proposed to spend $ 423 million and building two new venues for the games in addition to upgrading the existing sites. Hamilton, on the other hand, had promised to spend $ 550 million and building five new venues. — PTI

PM's 'undertaking' clinched Games bid
M. S. Unnikrishnan

New Delhi, November 14
An 'undertaking' given by the Prime Minister is reported to have played a vital role in clinching the 2010 Commonwealth Games bid for New Delhi, voting for which was held in Jamaica (the Caribbean islands) yesterday. New Delhi pipped Hamilton (Canada) by a margin of 46-22 votes to secure the bid.

A 50-member Indian delegation, comprising Indian Olympic Association president Suresh Kalmadi, secretary-general Randhir Singh, Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Vikram Verma, sportspersons Sunil Gavaskar, Anjali Ved Bhagawat and Michael Ferreira, had canvassed for New Delhi's bid at the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) meeting in Jamaica. India — Mr Kalmadi and Mr Randhir Singh, in particular — had been working hard for the past two years for winning the bid, and the success at Jamaica was a vindication of their sincere efforts.

The IOA had presented a formal bid before the CGF in London on May 30, 2003 following an undertaking given by the Government of India. Subsequent to the formal bidding, an evaluation commission of the CGF visited New Delhi from August 3 to 8 to inspect the available infrastructure and hold formal discussions with various agencies likely to be involved in staging the games. Around 50 delegates from various Commonwealth countries were guests of honour at the inaugural Afro-Asian Games held in Hyderabad from October 24 to November 1, and they were highly impressed with India's organisational skills, hospitality and infrastructural facilities.

The Government lavished over Rs 160 lakh for facilitating the bid, in addition to around Rs 40 lakh spent by the IOA and the Delhi Government in hosting and feting the CGF delegation.

However, it is gathered that the written assurance given by Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee to the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) had eventually clinched the bid for India.

The PM's guarantee assured the CGF that "the Government of India fully supports the Delhi bid to host the 2010 Commonwealth Games" and that "we have taken the decision to fully underwrite the cost of hosting the Games", that "India is one of the fastest growing economies in the world, and it is an emerging leader in information technology" and that "the Games will offer new marketing opportunities, not only for India, but for all Commonwealth nations as well".

Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports Vijay Goel clarified here today that the Games have been specifically allotted to the city of New Delhi, and there does not arise the question of shifting the venue to some other city in the country. He said the projected expenditure for the games was around Rs 295 crore but India were expecting to raise a total of over Rs 450 crore for hosting the games. Mr Goel said New Delhi clinched the bid due to the "collective" effort of the Government and the IOA, particularly on account of the PM's assurance.

Mr Goel said the Government had given its approval for allowing the Ministry of Finance and Company Affairs and the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports to "settle between themselves the financial arrangements" and also to "underwrite any shortfall between revenue and expenditure of the organising committee".

Mr Goel said the Government had also given the guarantee of "free entry for all accredited athletes and delegations of all participating countries", which virtually guarantees a cost-free games for the foreign participants.

Mr Goel said the present plan was to hold the games in 12 disciplines, but there was the possibility of cricket also figuring among the disciplines.

As of now, however, competitions are proposed to be held in aquatics, athletics, badminton, boxing, cycling, gymnastics, hockey, tennis, netball, rugby 7s, shooting, squash, table tennis, weightlifting and wrestling.

All India Council of Sports president Vijay Kumar Malhotra and chairman of the National Minorities Commission Tarlochan Singh hailed the role played by Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee in winning the bid.

Prof Malhotra said it was due to the unstinted support — both financial and moral — given by the Prime Minister that India could successfully host the Afro Asian Games, and it was again due to the commitment made by him that India could pip Hamilton for the 2010 Commonwealth Games.

Mr Tarlochan Singh, who was the vice-chairman of the Afro-Asian Games, said the Commonwealth Games was the greatest gift the Prime Minister could offer to the youth of the country, and India's success in winning the bid has re-emphasised the strong commitment made by the Government in not only fostering sports, but also making India a sought-after sporting and tourist destination in the world.