SYLLABUS
GS-I Prelims: Current Events of National and International Importance.
Context: Recently, Ahmedabad has been officially confirmed as the host city for the Commonwealth Games 2030.
More on the News
• The official Confirmation was approved by the Commonwealth Sport membership at the General Assembly in Glasgow, Scotland.
- Commonwealth Sport is an international sports organisation, formerly known as the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF), that is responsible for the direction and control of the Commonwealth Games and Commonwealth Youth Games.
• The 74 member nations and territories unanimously voted to ratify the Commonwealth Sport Evaluation Committee’s recommendation and selected India’s Ahmedabad over Nigeria’s Abuja.
• Getting the Games’ hosting rights is a significant milestone in India’s quest to become an Olympic host in 2036, which is also proposed to be conducted in Ahmedabad, Gujarat
Bidding Process for Hosting the Commonwealth Games
• The procedure for a city to become the host of the Commonwealth Games involves a multi-stage bidding and evaluation process managed by the Commonwealth Sport (CS).
- Initial Interest & Feasibility Check: A city’s Commonwealth Games Association submits an Expression of Interest, followed by discussions with Commonwealth Sport to assess basic feasibility, infrastructure readiness, and financial capacity.
- Submission of Detailed Bid: The city submits its formal bid document outlining venue plans, budget and financial viability, transport and security arrangements, accommodation, and legacy commitments aligned with Commonwealth Sport values.
- Evaluation & Site Assessment: The Commonwealth Sport Evaluation Committee reviews the bid, conducts site inspections, and holds presentations to verify the city’s preparedness and compliance with bidding criteria.
- Final Selection by Member Vote: The Commonwealth Sport General Assembly votes to choose the host city, with the winning bid requiring a simple majority.
About the Commonwealth Games
• The Commonwealth Games is an international multi-sport event held every four years, featuring athletes from the Commonwealth of Nations.
- The Commonwealth of Nations is a voluntary association of 56 independent member countries, mostly former British colonies, that are connected by shared history and cultural ties.
• The first time the Commonwealth Games were conducted was in Hamilton, Canada, in 1930.
• The Commonwealth Games are conducted by a collaborative effort led by the Commonwealth Sport, the host city/nation, and the participating nations’ Commonwealth Games Associations (CGAs)
• The last edition was held in Birmingham, UK, in 2022 and the upcoming one is scheduled to be held in Glasgow, Scotland, in 2026.
• The 2030 Commonwealth Games will mark the centenary edition of the Games.
India at the Commonwealth Games
• India has a strong overall performance at the Commonwealth Games, having won a total of 564 medals (203 gold, 189 silver, and 172 bronze) since its debut in 1934.
• India previously hosted the Commonwealth Games in 2010, staging the event in New Delhi.
• At New Delhi 2010, India won 101 medals – 38 gold medals, 27 silvers and 36 bronze to finish second on the medals leaderboard. New Delhi 2010 remains India’s most successful Commonwealth Games till date.
• In the most recent games in 2022, India finished fourth in the medal tally with 61 medals (22 gold, 16 silver, and 23 bronze).
