New Delhi, April 10: Commonwealth Sport (CS) president Donald Rukare on Friday expressed satisfaction at India’s preparedness for the 2030 Commonwealth Games in Ahmedabad, saying the country “is ready for a grand show” in four years’ time.
A three-member team of Rukare, CEO Katie Sadleir and Director of Games Darren Hall undertook a comprehensive multi-city visit from April 8-10, reviewing key venues and infrastructure across Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar, Vadodara and Ekta Nagar in Gujarat.
The visit included inspections of competition venues such as Mahatma Mandir, Veer Savarkar Sports Complex, Narendra Modi Stadium and IIT Gandhinagar, as well as meetings with senior government officials and city authorities in Gujarat.
“From what we saw yesterday and the day before, it’s very clear that the facilities that are available, India is ready to put on the show. So we leave with a sense of confidence,” Rukare said in an interaction with the media.
“When the athletes come here in 2030, they are going to have a truly awesome time, not only in terms of the sporting programme, but also the cultural side of it has been amazing so far.”
The high-level delegation did not, however, give a clear picture of the sports programme of the 2030 CWG, through Rukare said there would be 16-17 sports in the roster. He said the full sports programme will be known in the first half of 2027. “We’re working with the city, the country, our counterparts at Commonwealth Games India (IOA), we’re beginning to co-create the sports programme. It’s very clear that the facilities that are available, Ahmedabad can host a wide range of events.
“Under our reset and refresh agenda, we believe in co-creating a sporting programme, a facility itinerary, which is not predicated primarily on the Games, but predicated on what is the plan, the vision of the city, of the country.”
Athletics and para athletics, swimming and para swimming, table tennis and para table tennis, bowls and para bowls, weightlifting and para powerlifting, artistic gymnastics, netball and boxing are the confirmed disciplines.
T20 cricket and hockey are expected to be included in the roster given the popularity of the two sports in the country, but the visiting team as well as the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) officials were non-committal.
Two sports out of hockey, rugby sevens and T20 cricket are mandatory in the CWG.
The host country or Commonwealth Sport may propose the inclusion of a maximum of two additional sports, including one traditional/indigenous sport.
Yogasana, kabaddi and kho-kho could be in the running for the two slots, though the visiting team and IOA thought it “premature” to reveal it. (PTI)
