2022 Games host city announcement delayed

The waiting game goes on for Birmingham as the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) fudged the issue of the host city for the 2022 Games for the second time in a week.

The CGF said it “is close to making a decision to select the host city of the 2022 Games”.

Cllr Ian Ward, the leader of Birmingham City Council, said: “All our efforts have been focused on demonstrating that Birmingham would make the ideal host for the 2022 Games.”

Birmingham is the only city known to have put in a bid to host the event, but its original bid was previously judged to not be “fully compliant”.

The CGF extended the deadline for bids by two months to November 30, to encourage other bids and to give Birmingham time to address its weaknesses.

However last week and again today, the CGF has declined to say if any other cities had submitted a bid to rival Birmingham.

Louise Martin, President of the CGF said it is essential they are “fully satisfied that the ultimate host for 2022 is capable of staging a Games that fully delivers for Commonwealth athletes and host communities”.

She added that a final decision is expected this month but the CGF “will continue to remain flexible”.

Cllr Ward added: “Birmingham, the Government and Commonwealth Games England are continuing to have productive discussions with the Commonwealth Games Federation as we enter the final stages of what has been a collaborative and positive process within a challenging timeframe.

“It’s a hugely significant decision and we welcome the robustness of the process.”

The selection of a host city for the 2022 Games has been chaotic because it was originally awarded to Durban, South Africa, in 2015, only for the right to be withdrawn earlier this year.

Birmingham, along with Liverpool, had been building a business case for the 2026 Games but then accelerated the process once 2022 became an option.

The UK Government selected Birmingham as the bid it wanted to support and put forward for selection.