2030 for 2036: On Ahmedabad, the CWG, the Olympics Politics & News

Exactly two decades after hosting its maiden Commonwealth Games (CWG), India will welcome the quadrennial extravaganza’s centenary edition to its shores in 2030. The move is another unmistakable sign that India wants to be seen as a sports destination of repute. The choice of Ahmedabad as the host city is strategic too, for India has submitted the Letter of Intent to hold the 2036 Olympics with Ahmedabad as the front-runner. However, while the Olympics retains its allure and grandeur, the CWG has been beset with difficulties. Once signifying the imperial unity of the British empire, the CWG is struggling for relevance in the post-colonial world. Successive host cities have dropped out citing rising costs – Birmingham replaced Durban in 2022; Glasgow has come to the rescue for 2026 after the Australian State of Victoria withdrew, and Ahmedabad has stepped in for the Canadian province of Alberta. Not so long ago, India itself was cold to the competition, with the then Indian Olympic Association president Narinder Batra, in 2019, calling it “sub-standard” — albeit in his personal capacity — and strongly pitching for India’s withdrawal. Also, when New Delhi conducted the Games in 2010, there were allegations galore of large-scale corruption and incompetence.

So, what merit does India see now? First, it is an important soft-power medium. Second, the nation’s sporting aspirations have grown manifold, and though performances by its sportspersons have not kept pace, there is a genuine push toward diversifying on-field excellence and going beyond just cricket. India has world-class heroes such as double-Olympic medallist javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra to showcase, and there is hope that big ticket events, when held in one’s backyard, can inspire a generation. There is the infrastructural uplift they can trigger, helping not just the athletes but also the public at large. But there are potential pitfalls too. In sporting terms, the CWG stands diminished. Glasgow 2026 will feature just 10 disciplines, and those such as badminton, hockey, shooting and cricket have been excised. There are very few sports that match up to international standards, for nations such as the United States and China are not part of the Commonwealth. India has won 61, 66, 64, 101 medals in the last four editions, but in the subsequent Olympics, it has secured just six, seven, two and six medals, respectively. India also has an escalating problem with doping, which can mar its standing if left uncontrolled. The financial outlay for the CWG should be kept in mind too, for costs can be prohibitive. Ahmedabad 2030, thus, offers opportunity and hope. It should be used to display a strong present and shape a glorious future.