IOA Endorses India's Ambition for 2030 Commonwealth Games

New Delhi, Aug 13 (PTI) — The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has taken a significant step by officially endorsing India's bid to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games. During a Special General Meeting (SGM) held on Wednesday, IOA's top officials committed to hosting an "inclusive" edition featuring all "medal-earning" sports. India has already expressed its interest in hosting the event, with Ahmedabad proposed as the primary venue, yet final proposals must be submitted by the August 31 deadline. Beyond Ahmedabad, previous host Delhi and Bhubaneswar are also under consideration. IOA President P T Usha noted, "I'm pleased with our unanimous decision. Our preparations are underway, but we can't confirm Ahmedabad as the host city just yet. We have excellent facilities in Bhubaneswar and Delhi. We'll announce the host city soon." The 2026 Glasgow Commonwealth Games will be a scaled-down edition due to various circumstances, lacking sports like hockey, badminton, wrestling, and shooting due to cost concerns. However, if India secures the 2030 event, it promises to be a full-fledged affair like the 2010 games. Raghuram Iyer, IOA's CEO, commented, "We can't confirm if multiple cities will host the 2030 Games." With Canada exiting the race, India's chances to host have improved. The IOA aims to include all medal-earning sports, such as shooting, archery, and wrestling, along with traditional sports like kabaddi, kho kho, and yoga, noted IOA joint secretary Kalyan Chaubey. Recently, a Commonwealth Sport delegation, led by Director of Games Darren Hall, inspected venues and met with Gujarat government officials. Iyer remarked, "Their feedback was positive, and with the necessary approvals, we'll proceed with the proposals." A larger Commonwealth Sport delegation is expected to visit India soon. According to Executive Council member Rohit Rajpal, the games will reflect a balance of core Commonwealth sports, host-nation selected events, and additional sports. The 2030 Games aim to be inclusive, with a focus on traditional and indigenous sports. The host country will be decided by Commonwealth Sport's General Assembly in Glasgow in late November. Notably, India previously hosted the event in Delhi in 2010. Coinciding with the SGM, the Executive Council convened earlier the same morning. The council approved the audited financial statements for 2023-24 and appointed a statutory auditor for 2024-25. In related developments, Raghuram Iyer's monthly salary has been capped at Rs 13 lakh, a decrease from the proposed Rs 20 lakh, resolving a contention between Usha and certain Executive Council members. A source stated, "Iyer has accepted the Rs 13 lakh figure." Although Usha announced Iyer's role as IOA CEO in January 2024, it was officially ratified on July 24.

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