The Chamberlain News

Commonwealth Games finishing line extended…again

If the race to host the Commonwealth Games was itself a sporting event, one team might be asking the stewards why the finishing line seems to keep moving, writes Kevin Johnson.  

To make matters more complicated for Team Birmingham, it’s not entirely clear if it’s a one team race or if other competitors have joined the marathon.

The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) Executive Board today received an update from the Federation’s Evaluation Panel chaired by CGF President Louise Martin. The Panel was established to review and recommend the selection of the host for the Commonwealth Games in 2022.

The CGF Panel says it has considered eight different cities to host the 2022 Games.

The Executive Board decided to extend the process beyond 30 September 2017 to enable cities more time to “develop their hosting propositions.” Birmingham’s bid was the only one received at that time, but was considered not to be “fully compliant.”

Louise Martin updated the Executive Board 2018 during a 2018 Commonwealth Games Coordination Commission meeting on the Gold Coast, Australia. The CGF Executive Board has now determined that it requires further clarification on “a range of issues identified by the Evaluation Panel” before it can appoint a host city for 2022.

Louise Martin, President of the CGF said:

When the CGF General Assembly took the difficult decision to reallocate the 2022 Commonwealth Games, it delegated the Federation’s Executive Board the responsibility to award the Games. It is essential that we have fully examined all aspects of the cities’ bid submissions and expressions of interest, and that we are fully satisfied that the ultimate host for 2022 is capable of staging a Games that fully delivers for Commonwealth athletes and host communities.

The CGF is close to making a decision to select the host city of the 2022 Games. We thank all nations who have participated in the process. We are also close to achieving significant Games legacy objectives, however we have been asked to provide a little more time in order for these to be realised, and in the interest of good partnership we have decided to allow this.

The CGF is confident that we will make a final decision regarding the selection of a host city for 2022 before the year-end, but we will continue to remain flexible and collaborative in a true sense of partnership with potential hosts so that, above all, we have a decision that the entire Commonwealth can get behind.

Last Friday, the CGF thanked “all four countries for the interest that they have shown in hosting the Commonwealth Games.”

Yesterday, Andy Street was unable to attend the International Summit of Mayors in London. Chamberlain News understands he was detained dealing with matters related to the Games.

There will be a special Birmingham city council cabinet meeting on Friday on the subject of the Commonwealth Games. The West Midlands Combined Authority has its regular Board meeting on Friday morning.

Special cabinet meeting confirmed for Friday morning on bid

— Kathryn Stanczyszyn (@stanchers)

There have been no documents published for the meeting at the time of writing.

Whilst Birmingham will need to wait yet longer to see if it is awarded host city status for the Commonwealth Games 2022, Coventry will know one way or another late tomorrow if it will be the UK’s City of Culture in 2021.

Meanwhile, Channel 4 is under pressure in relation to the Government’s desire to re-locate its headquarters out of London. The West Midlands has up to four locations available to provide a new home for the broadcaster.