Durban loses 2022 Commonwealth games
Early reports indicate that Durban has lost the right to host the 2022 Commonwealth Games, according to Sports24.
The decision to recall the games follows numerous reports that event organisers had missed various submission deadlines with the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF), and an announcement by sport minister Fikile Mbalula in late February 2017 who noted that the city was likely to lose out.
“I don’t want to raise your expectations and say everything looks good, it doesn’t because we don’t agree on the fundamentals and that is the operational budget,” Mbalula said at a February media briefing.
Following the comments, the CGF reportedly met in London on Friday (10 March)‚ during which the fate of Durban as the host city was discussed for close to two hours.
Early government estimates pointed to over R20 billion being generated for the local economy, although no official budget or costs were ever published by the city.
There has currently been no official confirmation from either the CGF or the Durban 2022 organising committee, although the announcement is expected to be confirmed later on Monday.
Update: Durban has lost the right to host the 2022 Commonwealth Games, South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) president Gideon Sam has confirmed to Reuters.
“This is a huge disappointment for us and for the whole African continent. But without the necessary government guarantees, we couldn’t move on,” the Commonwealth Games Federation vice-president said by telephone.
“Everybody was very excited to see the Commonwealth Games staged in Durban, which was very well equipped to host the event, but once the economics started to play a role, it became difficult.
“We had hoped to make this a Games for all of Africa, and so this is a very sad day for the whole continent.”
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