December 21 - The Liberal National Party (LNP), the Opposition Party in Queensland, have called on Queensland Premier Anna Bligh's (pictured) to come clean about the cost of hosting the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games following a leaked report that suggests they have a $7 million (£4.5 million/€5.3 million) black hole.

The briefing note from within the Department of Premier and Cabinet has revealed that the Queensland Government, of which the Labour Party holds the majority, must pay more than $17 million (£11 million/€13 million) to the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) and the Australian Commonwealth Games Association (ACGA) this financial year but that only $10 million (£6.4/€7.7 million) has been set aside.

"This latest revelation shows that in fact the cost this year will be $7 million (£4.47 million/€5.34 million) more than we've been told," said the opposition treasury spokesman Tim Nicholls.

"Really the Government, if they want to ensure that people support the Commonwealth Games as they want and as we want to do, then they need to come clean and tell people where money's coming from and tell them up front how much it's going to cost.

"We now know why Treasurer Andrew Fraser argued against Anna Bligh about the Government's bid for the Commonwealth Games."

Queensland's acting Sport Minister Simon Finn claimed that the issue is being addressed and that a winning bid was always going to present some early costs.

"We've always known that there would some initial up-front costs in staging the Games," he said.

"There is no blow-out in the cost of the Games but obviously with the bid announced late in the year, we have to address the costs of this through the mid-year review."

Gold Coast 2018 chairman Mark Stockwell has also claimed that the Commonwealth Games will be delivered on time and on budget as promised in the bid.

"None of these things came out of the blue," said Stockwell.

"It is just the difference in bidding for the Games and actually hosting them."

Stockwell added that he was confident about delivering a "great event" within the $1 billion (£639 million/€746 million) budget set by the State Government.

The leaked document shows the Queensland Government must pay $47 million (£30 million/€36 million) to the ACGA over eight years for marketing rights for the 2018 Commonwealth Games with an initial first payment of $15 million (£9.5 million/€11.4 million) due by by January 1, 2012.

A further $17 million (£11 million/€13 million) is required by the CGF under the Host City contract provisions over seven years while a $2.3 million (£1.5 million/€1.8 million) down payment is due by February 1, 2012.

By Tom Degun

Source: www.insidethegames.biz

November 28 - Glasgow 2014 has hit the landmark 100th member of staff with the appointment of former top swimmer Todd Cooper as the Sport Competition Cluster Manager for the Commonwealth Games.

The 28-year-old Stirling University graduate, who joins from the national events agency EventScotland, already sits on Glasgow 2014's Athletes' Advisory Committee having competed at both the Manchester 2002 and Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games, winning a bronze in the latter competition as part of Scotland's 4x100 metres men's medley relay.

He was also part of Team GB at the Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008 Olympics while he is one of four Sport Competition Cluster Managers to have been recruited by Glasgow 2014 in recent weeks.

He joins Alison Lunn, Mark Mateer and Keith Joss, who will all be responsible for the planning and organisation of a group of sports and will contribute to their successful delivery at Games-time.

Cooper will direct his focus to his native sport of aquatics as well as squash, table tennis and rugby sevens.

"As a former Commonwealth competitor, I am excited to have this opportunity to be at the heart of the preparations for the Games coming to Glasgow and to be the Organising Committee's 100th employee is an added honour," he said.

"I can't wait to get started in this role as part of the Sport team and play my part in creating a memorable Games for all of Scotland."

The milestone appointment comes as Glasgow 2014 continues to ramp up its recruitment campaign to fill 1,044 posts across a wide variety of roles between now and the Games via the services of Search Consultancy who look to identify the most appropriate candidates with the experience and skillset required to stage a world class Games.

"This is an exciting milestone for Glasgow 2014 and demonstrates the pace and scale of our recruitment," said Glasgow 2014 chief executive David Grevemberg.

"Over the next two-and-a-half years we will increase our staff numbers to 1,044 and create a strong team with the mix of experience and skills we require to stage an outstanding Games and have a legacy of skills in Glasgow and Scotland.

"We are delighted to welcome Todd, a former Olympic and Commonwealth athlete, as our 100th employee and we look forward to his contribution to the team and the Games at large.

"Todd's experience as an athlete at previous Games will complement our team as we plan to deliver an athlete centred and sport focused Games."

Shona Robison, Scotland's Minister for Commonwealth Games and Sport, added: "As well as bringing an international sporting spectacle to Scotland, hosting the Commonwealth Games is a tremendous opportunity to create a lasting legacy through the creation of new jobs and boosting our economy.

"I'm delighted to see the 100th member of staff in place and I congratulate Todd on his appointment.

"The skills and experience he brings with him will ensure he makes a significant contribution to a successful Commonwealth Games.

"With less than 1,000 days to go until the big event this latest milestone shows the Organising Committee is continuing to oversee the successful delivery of the Games which remain on time, on budget and on track to be a fantastic event for all of Scotland."

By Tom Degun

Source: www.insidethegames.biz

November 24 – The Gold Coast are set to stage their first major sporting competition since winning the right to stage the 2018 Commonwealth Games earlier this month with the HSBC Sevens World Series set to get underway in the city.

The Australian city saw off sole rivals Hambantota of Sri Lanka to stage the Commonwealth Games and it will get the chance to show the world exactly what is in store in 2018 with the inaugural Gold Coast Sevens which takes place tomorrow and Saturday (November 26).

The competition will take place at the 27,400 capacity Skilled Park, the home ground to the National Rugby League's Gold Coast Titans, and the world's top rugby sevens players have praised the both the stadium and the city as a world class sporting destination.

"To start the Series in the Gold Coast, it is a bit of a paradise here, so we are all really excited about it and playing in a great stadium, the home of the Gold Coast Titans," said New Zealand captain DJ Forbes.

"Pressure is always on New Zealand, and there might be more with being defending champions, but we never go into a Series defending a title, we just go out like all the others to win it."

England captain Greg Barden added: "Looking around, its 30 degrees already, beautiful sunshine and no better place to start the Series."

New Zealand and England will be two of the favourites for victory in the Gold Coast along with hosts Australia, who are one of a number of countries who have started investing far more in the sport since it became an Olympic sport, set to feature at Rio 2016.

"The home crowd will help us out a lot," said Australia captain Ed Jenkins.

"It is almost like playing with an extra man if the crowd can get up and make a lot of noise for us and I think it will be really beneficial."

A total of 16 teams will participate in the competition which could provide an indication of what the rugby sevens competition will look like at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

Men's rugby sevens has featured at every Commonwealth Games since Kuala Lumpur 1998 and is now a compulsory sport at the competition while women's rugby sevens could make its debut on the Gold Coast after the sport was voted onto the sports programme as optional sports earlier this month.

By Tom Degun

Source: www.insidethegames.biz

November 17 - Hambantota has blamed the chaos of last year's Commonwealth Games in New Delhi and the intervention of Canada for its failure to win its bid to host the 2018 edition of the event, as the campaign's leaders Ajith Nivard Cabraal and Mahindananda Aluthgamage both complained that they suffered from a bias against smaller countries hosting the event.

The Sri Lankan city were beaten 43-27 by its only rival, the Gold Coast, at the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) General Assembly in St Kitts and Nevis last Friday (November 11).

Upon his return to the capital Colombo, the co-chairman of Hambantoa 2018, Cabraal (pictured above right), claimed that their bid was scuppered by a late intervention from Commonwealth Games Canada.

"At the last minute Canada brought a proposal that India did not conduct the [2010] Games well and that some payments have not been made yet," said Cabraal.

"No doubt this was countered, but it created uncertainty among the members."

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper has been the most fierce critic of Sri Lankan's human rights record and at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Perth last month had threatened to oppose Hambantota's bid unless they addressed the issue seriously.

Canada's opposition both in Perth and St Kitts damaged Hambantota's chances, Cabraal claimed.

 "As a result I think that may have hurt our chances to a some extent, although we know that one of the most successful Games was conducted in India," said Cabraal, the Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka.

"This lobby appeared to be designed to give some kind of a feeling that Asian countries are unable to have very good Games.

"That also may have gone against us to some extent."

Aluthgamage (pictured above left), the Sports Minister who was the other co-chairman of the bid, also criticised the bidding process.

"There is an injustice and we saw that small countries do not get a chance to hold these Games," he said.

But, despite Sri Lanka losing the bid, the process helped to improve Sri Lanka's image and boosted the tourism industry, Aluthgamage admitted.

It also provided an opportunity to draw attention to Hambantatoa, which is being developed as the country's second economic city, he said.

Cabraal insisted that they have not yet given any thought about whether to launch a bid for the 2022 Commonwealth Games but they would push ahead with their ambitious plans to turn Hambantota into a major sporting hub.

"We have not thought of bidding for the 2022 Games but our plan on making Hambantota a sports city will go ahead as planned despite the loss," he said.

Source: www.insidethegames.biz

By Duncan Mackay

MEDIA RELEASE

09 November 2011 – The team behind Sri Lanka’s Hambantota 2018 bid to host the 2018 Commonwealth Games has brought its own blend of island charm and carnival to the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) summit on the Caribbean island of St Kitts.   

With just two days until the vote to decide whether Hambantota or Australia’s Gold Coast is to host the 2018 Games, Sri Lanka is preparing to make what could be a crucial final presentation.  But among the hard work that has seen the bid go from outsider to real contender, a 60-strong delegation has been equally determined to showcase the vibrant atmosphere that awaits athletes and fans alike in 2018 should what has been dubbed ‘the life-changing bid’ be successful.

Speaking last night as he welcomed CGF delegates to a gala dinner featuring traditional Sri Lankan music and dancing, Ajith Nivard Cabraal, Hambantota 2018 Organising Committee Co-Chairman, said: “We want to show that as well as delivering a visionary, exciting, unique and technically strong bid, a successful Commonwealth Games in Hambantota will also be great fun.

“In Sri Lanka we know how to party.  We will ensure, if selected as the host city for the 2018 Games, that our opening and closing ceremonies capture all of this excitement and tradition in a way that highlights the diversity of our culture and embraces the vitality of our society.  We have spoken of the Games being a life-changing experience for our unified nation and people.  But it also promises to be a once in a lifetime experience for all we look forward to welcoming in 2018.”

Cabraal, also Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, also hosted beach barbeques for delegates and the Commonwealth family with traditional dance displays, drummers and acrobats.  He said he wants to encourage a celebratory, ‘festival mood’ ahead of the vote on Friday.

“Athletes and visitors coming to Sri Lanka will experience not only state of the art venues and facilities but also a colourful carnival atmosphere they will always remember,” he added.  “Sri Lanka’s ancient civilisation has endowed the country with a legacy of colourful festivals.  Our people are famous for their smiles and we want everyone to share our joy in hosting the Games in 2018.  We look forward to welcoming our friends to Hambantota in our own special way.”

Hon. Namal Rajapaksa, son of the Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Member of Parliament for Hambantota District, meanwhile welcomed guests to Hambantota’s hospitality suite.  The centrepiece of the room is a scale model of the ‘Sports City’ that will house 90 percent of the venues.  The CGF calls it one of the most compact Commonwealth Games concept designs ever developed.  

Praised by the CGF Evaluation Commission for being ‘visionary, exciting and unique’ and meeting every single technical requirement, the Hambantota 2018 bid has wowed delegations from the Caribbean & Americas, Africa, Europe, Oceania and Asia. With the result of its endeavours looming, the momentum is now behind a bid backed by an overwhelming 87 percent of the Sri Lankan population (99 percent in Hambantota itself).

The decision will be announced by outgoing CGF President Mike Fennell on the penultimate day of the CGF general assembly in St Kitts & Nevis this Friday 11 November at 18:00 local time.  It will be his last official act as CGF President after 17 years in the role, before handing over to HRH Prince Tunku Imran.  For more information on Hambantota 2018 visit: www.hambantota2018.com

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