|
In Jamaica on November 13, 2003 Delhi received 46 votes
compared with 22 for Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, in a
vote of the Commonwealth Games Federation.
This will be the biggest multi-sport event conducted
in the city. Delhi has previously played host to the
Asian Games in 1951 and 1982.
In January 2005, the Commonwealth Games Federation
vice-president Randhir Singh said that Delhi was behind
schedule in forming an organising committee. "This
inordinate delay by the Sports Ministry could cost India
the games", he said.
India will be only the third developing country to
host the event after Jamaica in 1966 and Malaysia in
1998. This is only the second time the event will be
held in Asia.
New Delhi has been chosen to host the 2010
Commonwealth Games and becomes only the second Asian
host in the Games' 80-year history. New Delhi secured
46 votes, while rivals Hamilton (Canada) clinched 22,
in a secret ballot during the Commonwealth Games Federation
(CGF) meeting in Montego Bay, Jamaica.
The Indian delegation comprising Suresh Kalmadi (president
of Indian Olympic Association), Randhir Singh (secretary
of Indian Olympic Association), Vikram Verma (sports
minister), Vijai Kapoor (Governor of Delhi), Sunil Gavaskar
(legendary cricketer), Anjali Bhagwat (ace shooter)
and Michael Ferreira (former world billiards champion)
addressed the members before the voting started, while
Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee delivered
a video message.
The sentimental note expressed in their presentations,
that India had not hosted the Games in 50 years while
Canada had done so four times, won the bid for India.
"We are very, very happy. People in CGF realised
there had been injustice with India and the big margin
is a testimony of that Fifty per cent of the Commonwealth
stays in India. We are a billion-strong people and it
can be regarded as a victory for the Commonwealth movement,"
Suresh Kalmadi said after the Commonwealth Games Federation's
congress vote.
With a projected Games budget of $420 million, it will
also be a major boost for the sprawling Indian capital
of almost 14 million people.
|
