Sri Lanka’s bid to become only the 10th country to host the Commonwealth Games could help inspire other emerging and developing nations to follow suit, according to Sri Lanka's Sports Minister and Co-Chairman of the Hambantota 2018 Organising Committee.
In its 80 year history the Commonwealth Games has been held in just nine of 71 nations. Australia (1938, 1962, 1982, 2006) and Canada (1930, 1954, 1978, 1994) have both played host four times; New Zealand (1950, 1974, 1990) three times; England (1934, 2002) and Scotland (1970, 1986) twice; and Wales (1958), Jamaica (1966), Malaysia (1998) and India (2010) once.
With Scotland also hosting Glasgow 2014, a Hambantota 2018 Games would install Sri Lanka as the 10th country in an expanding list that would have added three ‘new’ hosts in the space of two decades. Like the playmakers handed the number 10 jersey in sports such as football and rugby, Hon. Mahindananda Aluthgamage hopes doing so will create opportunities for others.
He said: "We know that we must achieve host city status on merit. But we hope our bid can be an inspiration for other emerging and developing nations within the Commonwealth to step up in the future to the challenge, opportunity and honour of hosting the Games. It is time for others to believe in their ability to host an event of this magnitude. We want to inspire them to do so, so they too can secure the legacy benefits for their country and people."
Minister Aluthgamage’s comments came during the third and penultimate day of visit of the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) Evaluation Commission to the ‘island jewel of the Indian ocean.’ They are assessing the capability of the country and fast-developing ‘new’ city of Hambantota in the South of the tear-drop shaped nation of hosting the Games in 2018. The CGF is due to choose the host city at its meeting in St Kitts and Nevis on 11 November 2011.
For more information, visit:www.hambantota2018.com
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