LONDON – The English cities of Birmingham and Liverpool have expressed interest in hosting the 2022 Commonwealth Games after Durban was stripped of the right on Monday.
“Here in Birmingham we are already in the advanced stages of producing a detailed feasibility study on what would be needed for a truly memorable games in the city,” said Ian Ward, the deputy leader of Birmingham City Council in a statement.
“That is due to be completed in the coming weeks and we are in close contact with the Government about the developing situation.”
Birmingham had already expressed an interest in staging the 2026 Games, as had Liverpool.
The BBC quoted a spokesperson for Liverpool City Council as saying they had “already indicated to the government that we are very willing to host them (the 2022 Games) instead.”
The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) said Durban, which had hoped to be the first African city to host the Games, had failed to meet the promises contained in its bid and the search for a replacement host was now on. [nL3N1GQ46W]
Anticipating trouble with Durban, the CGF recently acquired the power to choose a new host city without a formal bid process.
Its executive vice president Kereyn Smith, also the head of the New Zealand Olympic Committee, confirmed the CGF would invite cities seen as willing and capable of holding the Games to step in, and said the next host needed to be settled quickly.
“I think the time frame is a matter of months, certainly not longer than that,” she told New Zealand radio. Continued…
