Explainer: From Commonwealth Games to Olympics

ON August 29, India officially put in its bid to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games, the centenary edition of the Commonwealth movement. This sudden push from the government to host the Games came as a surprise to many, as there have been demands to boycott the Games in the past two editions — 2018 and 2022 — as the host cities dropped sports disciplines where India has been traditionally strong. Wrestling, archery and shooting were axed from the roster.

The 2026 Games to be held in Glasgow, Scotland, will only have 10 sports disciplines, down from 19 in the 2022 edition. Shooting, wrestling and hockey will not be played. Glasgow stepped in to host after Victoria (Australia), the chosen host, withdrew citing burgeoning costs. So, what changed in a space of a year and a half?

New direction

Indian administrators had openly questioned the need for the country to be part of the Commonwealth movement. When Victoria withdrew, the Commonwealth Games Federation, now rechristened as Commonwealth Sport, was fighting for relevance and veered towards a reset programme designed to bring the costs down. Last year, its president, Chris Jenkins told The Tribune that India had a bigger role to play in the movement.

“We have looked at the cost of staging the Games and we think we have taken about 60 per cent of the cost out. What we are saying to countries is that we would like you to use existing venues. We are not going to tell you to build something for accommodation. Whether it is in universities or hotels, there are a lot of options,” he said.

Further, the number of sports disciplines would be around 15-17, including all of the disciplines where Indians are traditionally strong. The sports ministry, charmed by Jenkins, even put forward a plan to host a few sports disciplines for the 2026 edition.

Ahmedabad, the centrepiece

The host city for the 2030 Games will be Ahmedabad and the Sardar Vallabhbhai Sports Complex, the Narendra Modi Stadium and Sabarmati riverfront will form the core stadia, where all major disciplines, including athletics and swimming, will be played. Only India and Nigeria have submitted the bids and India appears to be the favourite to bag the hosting rights.

The proposal will be assessed by an Evaluation Commission. The report will then be put before the Executive Board, which will recommend a host for approval at the General Assembly in November.

What really appealed to India was that the new reset programme allows hosts “to choose from a wider list of core sports, to include sports/disciplines that have previously been listed as optional sports such as T20 cricket, beach volleyball and 3x3 basketball”. As hosts, India can also add indigenous sports.

Precursor to 2036

While it is an open secret that the government wants to host the 2036 Olympics in Ahmedabad, this bid is an attempt to show that India can host major international sporting events. Already, Ahmedabad is in line to host international championships. Last week, it hosted the Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships. The Asian Aquatics Championship will be held in the city next month. In November, the Arena by TransStadia will host all Group D matches of the AFC Under-17 Asian Cup qualifiers.

In 2026, it plays host to the Asian Weightlifting Championship and the Archery Asia Para Cup. A former chief of a national sports federation said the 2030 bid and the city’s push to host international tournaments is an attempt by the government to show that the country was ready to host the Olympics.

“We are up against Qatar that hosted the World Cup in AC stadiums so we have a big challenge but at least the government is showing intent in trying to be in competition for the Summer Games,” he added.

Diplomatic charm?

Another Indian Olympic Association watcher called it the government’s push to make India a big player in the Commonwealth movement. “Of course, we want to show we can host major games and that our athletes can compete at the world stage. The government also thinks that hosting the Games involves sports diplomacy and that it can play a major role in the Commonwealth countries,” he said. “There are 74 member nations and diplomacy plays an important role in the movement, which the government recognises.”