Durban has lost the right to host the 2022 Commonwealth Games, South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee president Gideon Sam said on Monday, Reuters reported.
“This is a huge disappointment for us and for the whole African continent. But without the necessary government guarantees, we couldn’t move on,” the Commonwealth Games Federation vice-president was quoted as saying.
“Everybody was very excited to see the Commonwealth Games staged in Durban, which was very well equipped to host the event, but once the economics started to play a role, it became difficult.
“We had hoped to make this Games for all of Africa, and so this is a very sad day for the whole continent.”
Last month, the South African sports minister Fikile Mbalula had indicated the city may not be able to host the event because of financial constraints.
Durban was awarded the right to host the Games in 2015 as the only city to make a confirmed bid. It would have been the first African host of the event. So far, Liverpool has come forward and expressed an interest in staging the 2022 edition.
Incidentally, the 2010 edition was held in Delhi.