India to bid for 2030 CWG, bring back its top sports

young new delhi:The amerindic Olympic connection (IOA) officially approved the country’s bid to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games in Ahmedabad during its special general meeting on Wednesday. In its bid, India will back a full-fledged sports programme and include their key medal-winning disciplines that were dropped in the truncated edition in Glasgow 2026.

The bid, which is being prepared in collaboration with Commonwealth Sport, is likely to be submitted by August 31.

After Victoria declined to host the 2026 edition citing spiralling costs, Glasgow came in as hosts with a truncated sports programme due to budget constraints. The number of sports has been reduced from 20 in Birmingham 2022 to 10 in Glasgow 2026.

Hockey, badminton, archery, shooting, wrestling, table tennis and women’s cricket — most of the disciplines where India’s chances of winning a medal is high — were dropped. While these sports are likely to make a return in 2030 — the number of disciplines could be between 17 and 20 — India plans to choose a programme that also showcases its ambition to host the 2036 Olympics, said IOA officials in the know of things.

“We are confident that we will put up a strong bid for CWG 2030. As hosts we will get the importance in terms of choosing the sport but it will be a collaborative approach with the Commonwealth Sport,” IOA president PT Usha told HT.

A CW Sport delegation recently visited Ahmedabad and were satisfied with the ongoing work in infrastructure. They have given inputs in terms of budget, keeping the sustainability factor in mind, accommodation, transportation and timelines to follow. CW Sport is also looking to attract youngsters and India’s vast youth population is a major attraction.

“They have visited our facilities in Ahmedabad, Odisha and some other places. The idea is to have as many sports in which India can do well, but we have to work together with the CW Sport in this direction,” said IOA CEO Raghuram Iyer.

There is a possibility that one or two sports might be held in other cities depending on the infrastructure but the idea of hosting all sports in a close cluster will be the primary aim, said IOA officials aware of the development.

Lt Gen Harpal Singh (Retd), a member of the IOA executive committee and the Sports Committee of CW Sport, noted that the Glasgow Games are an exception, driven by the time constraints following Victoria’s withdrawal.

“To secure a host within such a limited time frame was a challenge, and it led to the truncated sports programme in Glasgow,” Singh said. “Looking ahead, there will be a set of ‘Core Sports’ along with ‘Optional and Additional Sports’ approved by CW Sport in consultation with the host city, taking into account the legacy, sustainability of the Games beyond 2030,” Singh told HT. “The final programme will be announced after the host city is confirmed — possibly at the CW Sport AGM in November this year.”

“All sports that were excluded in Glasgow will be open for discussion, every bidding nation seeks to do that. As we are also bidding for the 2036 Olympics, it is important to demonstrate to the world that we are not only prepared to host sports in which we are traditionally strong, but also capable of delivering events that enjoy global popularity. This will significantly enhance our credibility.”

Ahmedabad, meanwhile is developing its infrastructure. The Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Sports Enclave in Motera spanning 300 acres around the Narendra Modi Stadium, is under development and will feature 10 new stadiums with permanent and temporary venues for sports such as gymnastics, skateboarding, softball and tennis.

At the Gujarat Police Academy in Karai, a 143-acre site is being transformed into a sports hub. This includes an athletics stadium and facility for hosting Rugby 7s and football. An indoor multipurpose arena is being built for weightlifting, alongside an integrated sports shooting centre.

In Ahmedabad’s Naranpura area, a completed sports complex, ready to open soon, will host international competitions, featuring an aquatics facility, an indoor multi-sports arena, a centre for Sports Excellence, and a Community Sports Centre for sports such as aquatics, badminton, squash, table tennis, basketball and volleyball. At Sanskardham educational institute, infrastructure is being developed for combat sports, said people in the know of things.

With inputs from Maulik Pathak in Ahmedabad

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