Written By Tony Nezianya | By AIPS Media

At the close of expression of interest to bid for the 2022 Commonwealth Games, two cities – Edmonton, Canada and Durban, South Africa – met the deadline.

However, with the pull out of Edmonton from the race, having announced that they would rather be focusing on the 2026 Games’ bid, Durban would be the only country expected to file the bid on March 2, in London.

“This appears a significant leap forward because Durban now has only itself to run against in the run to the bid process,”said Habu Gumel, Nigeria’s International Olympic Committee (IOC) member.

Nigeria had bidded unsuccessfully on 2004, bidded for the 2014 Commonwealth Games, which Glasgow eventually won.

The question now is, does the withdrawal of Edmonton translate into automatic award to Durban?

According to an official of the Commonwealth Games Federation, Janette Harkess, the withdrawal of Edmonton Bid from 2022 Commonwealth Games does not mean an automatic award of the hosting rights as they have to go through an award process.

Harkess, a Media Officer of the federation, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) from her London base that Durban would still have to follow the due bid process as prescribed to win the hosting rights.

She said that bid lodgement would take place on March 2 in London at which Durban would be expected to formalise the bid process.

She noted that thereafter, an evaluation commission would be expected to provide a report after a period after not less than six month — covering inspection of facilities to ensure that conditions stated in the bid document conformed to facilities on ground.

According to her, the committee will provide a report to be presented to the General Assembly, where all 71 nations and territories will vote to award the hosting rights.

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