NEW DELHI, July 3 (AFP) - Vancouver’s successful bidto host the 2010 Winter Olympics brought a smile to thefaces of Indian sports officials on Thursday.
The Canadian city’s victory on Wednesday means theIndian capital of New Delhi is almost certain to hostthe Commonwealth Games the same year.
Convention dictates that one country will not host twomajor sporting events the same year and the Canadiancity of Hamilton is the only other contender besides NewDelhi to host the Commonwealth Games.
Vancouver's victory is our victory too,'' a seniorIndian Olympic Association (IOA) official told AFP. Wewill get the Commonwealth Games.’’
A decision on whether New Delhi or Hamilton hosts the2010 event will be taken by the Commonwealth GamesFederation in Jamaica in November.
IOA secretary-general Randhir Singh had said earlierthat New Delhi was the favourite to host theCommonwealth Games after Singapore withdrew its bid as amark of Asian solidarity with India.
Member-nations have told me they want the Games tobe moved around instead of them being hosted usually inAustralia, England or Canada,'' Singh said. Asia deserves to host the Games.’’
The Commonwealth Games have been hosted in Asia justonce, in the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur in 1998.
Canada held the 1994 event in Victoria, England’sManchester hosted it last year, while the 2006 editionwill be held in Melbourne, Australia.
Ironically, Vancouver’s successful bid for the 2010Winter Olympics on Wednesday came at the expense of Asiaafter the South Korean city of Pyeongchang lost by justthree votes, 53 to Vacover’s 56.
India has successfully hosted two Asian Games in 1951and 1982 - both in New Delhi - besides cricket WorldCups in 1987 and 1996.
Commonwealth officials will be invited to theinaugural Afro-Asian Games in the southern city ofHyderabad in October-November to judge India’s abilityto host a major sporting event.
Last year, New Delhi lost the bid to host the 2006Asian Games which were eventually awarded to Doha,Qatar.