Smaller cities have better chance to host, says Commonwealth Games Chief

(Reuters) - Smaller cities have a better chance of hosting the Commonwealth Games than ever before because of the adaptations that have been made to the bidding process and the non-stringent requirements, Games head Mike Hooper has said.

The bearded Hooper spoke to Reuters after Australia’s Gold Coast and their rivals from the Sri Lankan port-city of Hambantota handed over their bid books to the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) to stage the 2018 event.

Should Gold Coast prevail in the two-horse race it would be the fifth time Australia would have hosted the Games, held every four years for more than 70 countries mostly of the former British Empire.

“Lets get real, 71 nations and territories (in the Commonwealth) how many can actually host it?” Hooper told Reuters in an interview after the presentation ceremony in the Malaysia capital.

“To an extent we recognize that and that’s why we have built in the flexibility we have and the changes that have occurred... there has been an evolution to have greater flexibility.

“In the old days if you go back in the history (the hosts were) basically the UK, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, UK, Australia, Canada, it would bounce around a bit and not in that order but they were the main hosts,” explained the passionate Hooper, gesticulating from his seat.

Last year’s Games in New Delhi featured more than 6,000 athletes and over 270 events but Hooper said that wasn’t the benchmark for future Games.

CGF rules ask that their 10 core sports -- athletics, badminton, boxing, hockey, lawn bowls, netball, rugby sevens, squash, swimming and weightlifting -- are included, with bid teams given the option of hosting a further seven if they wish.

Although Gold Coast and Hambantota, with populations of around 600,000 people, both plan to stage 17 events they are much smaller cities with smaller venues than previous hosts such as New Delhi, Melbourne and Manchester.

“People have a much better understanding that we are not the Olympic Games, our budgets are nothing like the Olympic Games and clearly we have a lot of flexibility on a sporting mix and we have a lot of flexibility in relation to venue solutions as clearly none of us want white elephants.”

Hambantota and Gold Coast will find out who has been successful at the CGF congress in St. Kitts on Nov. 11 but Hooper was already talking about Trinidad and Tobago and Wales showing interest in hosting the 2022 edition.

“To have Trinidad talking about hosting the Games is a big plus and is reflective of the better understanding of the requirements and the fact that there is flexibility,” Hooper said.

“That may or may not translate into a bid in the near future but we have Wales talking about 2022, they asked and are seriously considering it, we are not even at that process yet so I think its very healthy environment.”

Although Hooper was hopeful that the Games can eventually go to Africa, who has yet to host the event.

“One day we do want to see it in Africa but as a fair and open decision and an open process against whoever is looking to host and to the appropriate standards that are required now.

“South Africa has talked about it in the past... so there is lots of speculation but I do think we will see the Games hosted in Africa one day.”