NEW DELHI (Kashmir English): India has said that the city of Ahmedabad is an “ideal” location for the 2030 Commonwealth Games.
Ahmedabad is the major city in PM Narendra Modi’s home state of Gujarat, home to world’s biggest cricket stadium having a capacity of 130,000.
India’s bid is being viewed as part of a wider push by the cricket-mad nation to host the 2036 Olympics.
Modi government has approved the country’s bid for the 2030 Commonwealth Games. India submitted a formal letter of intent last year to the International Olympic Committee to host the 2036 Games.
“Ahmedabad is an ideal host city offering world-class stadiums, cutting-edge training facilities, and a passionate sporting culture,” Modi’s cabinet said in a statement after giving approval to the bid for the Commonwealth Games.
“Narendra Modi Stadium, the largest stadium in the world, has already demonstrated its capability by successfully hosting the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup Final,” the statement read.
Nigeria and at least two other countries have reportedly expressed interest in hosting the 2030 Commonwealth Games, which struggled to find a replacement host for the next year Games after the Australian state of Victoria withdrew, citing costs.
Decision on 2030 host in November
The decision on the host of 2030 Commonwealth Games will be made in November. India said that if it wins the bid, the Commonwealth Games would be a “full-fledged” event.
India has a population of 1.4 billion but its record at the Olympics is poor for a country of its size, winning only 10 gold medals in its history.
