NEW DELHI, 7 August 2003 — Commonwealth Games officials yesterday asked New Delhi to improve its sporting facilities and build new ones if the Indian capital wanted to hold the 2010 event.
“New Delhi has the adequate infrastructure to host the games but it needs to be upgraded and new venues have to be built,” said Michael Hooper of the games evaluation committee after a three-day inspection here.
“I am confident this will be done because the bid has the support of the Indian government.”
The Commonwealth Games Federation will meet in Jamaica in November to choose between New Delhi and the Canadian city of Hamilton as hosts of the 2010 Games.
“I can’t say which is the better bid,” said Hooper, whose committee inspected facilities at Hamilton last month. “All I know is that we have two quality bids. It will all depend on how the vote goes.”
Indian Olympic Association (IOA) chief Suresh Kalmadi, encouraged by Singapore’s withdrawal from the race as a mark of Asian solidarity with India, predicted New Delhi will win the bid.
“Member-nations have told me they want the Games to move around instead of them being hosted usually in Australia, England or Canada,” Kalmadi said.
“Asia deserves to host the games.”
The Commonwealth Games have been hosted in Asia just once, in the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur in 1998.
