The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) on Wednesday formally approved the country's bid to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games during its Special General Meeting (SGM) here with its top officials saying that India would host an "inclusive" edition featuring all "medal-earning" sports.
India has already submitted an Expression of Interest for the 2030 CWG with Ahmedabad as the host city. But the nation will have to submit the proposals for the final bid before the August 31 deadline.
IOA President P T Usha said along with Ahmedabad, 2010 host Delhi and Bhubaneswar will also be considered.
"I'm happy that all are together and it was a unanimous decision. Our preparations will go ahead. We can't just tell whether Ahmedabad is the host city. We have good facilities in Bhubaneswar and even in Delhi also. We will very soon announce where the Games will be held," Usha said after the SGM that lasted just over half an hour.
"The 2026 Glasgow CWG is a scaled down Games because of circumstances. If we get 2030 CWG, it will be full fledged one just like we did in 2010," she added, referring to the pruned roster of the 2026 Glasgow edition where major sports like hockey, badminton, wrestling and shooting have been left out citing the cost factor.
IOA CEO Raghuram Iyer said "we cannot say anything as of now", when asked whether there is a chance of more than one city hosting the 2030 CWG.
With Canada having pulled out of the race, India's chances of getting the 2030 CWG have brightened.
"The plan is to have all our medal-earning sports like shooting, archery, wrestling etc. Our traditional sports like kabaddi, kho kho, and yoga should also be there," IOA joint secretary Kalyan Chaubey said.
A team of officials from Commonwealth Sport (earlier CGF), led by its Director of Games Darren Hall, recently visited Ahmedabad to inspect the venues and meet Gujarat government officials.
Asked about the feedback from the Commonwealth Sport delegation, Iyer said, "I was part of the delegation and they came to look at the venues and the readiness of all the things that are going to be available at the venues and the infrastructure.
"Overall they have gone back happy and by the end of the month, now that we have the go ahead of the General Body, we will be putting in the proposals." A bigger delegation of Commonwealth Sport is expected to be in India later this month or in September.
" We will have all the sports we are good at and have a chance of winning maximum medals," said Executive Council member Rohit Rajpal.
"There are three groups of sports. First is core sports of the Commonwealth Games which are always there, then are sports which the host nation can choose and the third one are the additional sports.
"The 2030 will be an inclusive Games and will feature our traditional and indigenous sports also," Rajpal added.
The General Assembly of Commonwealth Sport will decide the host country in the last week of November in Glasgow. India has previously hosted the 2010 edition of the multi-sporting event in Delhi.
The SGM was preceded by the Executive Council meeting on Wednesday morning.
The General Body passed the audited statement of accounts for the financial year 2023-24 and also approved the appointment of statutory auditor for the financial year 2024-25.
Meanwhile, it's learnt that Iyer's salary has been capped at Rs 13 lakh per month instead of the initially proposed Rs 20 lakh per month, which was the bone of contention between Usha and the majority of the EC members during the long internal feud which ended last month.
"Iyer's salary will now be Rs 13 lakh per month. He has agreed to it," a source privy to the development told PTI.
Iyer's appointment as IOA CEO was announced by Usha in January 2024 but it was ratified only on July 24 this year.
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