GAMES

By Duncan Mackay in Kuala Lumpur

Mike Fennell is set to end his 17-year reign as President of the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) after promising Malyasia's Prince Tunku Imran (pictured) that he will not stand against him in the elections later this year.

The Jamaican has held the position since first being elected at Victoria in Canada in 1994 but will step down in November at the Assembly in St Kitts and Nevis when Tunku, who has been the CGF's vice-president since 2003, is expected to be the only candidate.

Fennell told Tunku that he would not seek another term during a telephone call earlier this week.

Fennell had been forced to miss this week's Executive Board meeting of the CGF because he is currently recovering in Jamaica from triple heart bypass surgery he underwent recently.

"I was in contact with Mike Fennell to let him know that I'd like to announce my candidancy during the time of the EB, particularly as so many [CGF] regional vice-presidents were here," 63-year-old Tunku told insidethegames.

"I did announce to the Board that I would be standing.

"Mike Fennell (pictured) said to me, 'If you are standing then I won't'.

"He's said he is going to stand down."

Tunku, whose late father Tuanku Jaafar was Malaysia's King between 1994 and 1999, has been a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) since 2006 and President of the Olympic Council of Malaysia since 1998, the year that Kuala Lumpur became the first country in Asia to host the Commonwealth Games.

That event is widely credited with helping reinvigorate the Games.

"Since Kuala Lumpur the Federation has gone...to something that is much bigger," Tunku said.

"Our vision was that the Games should represent what the Commonwealth is best at.

"We made it happen."

Tunku now wants to carry on that philosophy when he is elected as President.

One of the first things he plans to do is to arrange a strategic review early next year involving the GCF, Commonwealth Games Associations and sports to discuss the future direction of the events, including how to get the top athletes like Usain Bolt to compete.

"I'm keen not to change direction but to strengthen the Federation in so many ways," he said.

"We need to be better known.

"We have to try establish the desire of top athletes to want to be part of the Games, without obviously getting into the payment of monies because we can't go down that route.

"We've got to change the perception of the top athletes.

"That's to do with how we market the Games and position the Games."

Tunku also wants to continue encouraging more countries from around the Commonwealth to bid for the Games following last year's event in New Delhi and the candidature from Hambantota in Sri Lanka for 2018.

"We really want to get Commonwealth countries who have never had the Games that are capable of doing a good Games really to start bidding," he said.

"Singapore is a classic case [and] South Africa has three cities which could do the Games very well."

Contact the writer of this story at duncan.mackay@insidethegames.biz.

Source: CGF Newsletter

Kuala Lumpur, May 11, 2011

The Gold Coast and Hambantota have formally started the race to host the 2018 Commonwealth Games after lodging their bids with the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, today.

Speaking at the ceremony, CGF Vice President, HRH Tunku Imran thanked both candidate cities for their commitment to the Commonwealth Games movement.

“Over the last two years we have seen both the Gold Coast and Hambantota work towards this day and develop not only their bid books but also an understanding of what responsibilities lay ahead for them and what the Commonwealth Games mean to the people of the Commonwealth.

“The race for the 2018 Games presents an intriguing choice for our members.

“Each city would make a worthy host and would continue to build the international profile and brand of the Commonwealth Games as one of the most popular and enduring world-class events on the international sporting calendar.

“Today’s presentations mark only the start of the selection process for 2018. Now that the candidature files have been formally lodged with the CGF, an extensive evaluation process will get underway, beginning with an analysis of the technical aspects of each city’s bid documents.

“This will include site visits to each city by our Evaluation Committee with the final decision to be taken by our member nations at the CGF’s General Assembly in St Kitts & Nevis in the Caribbean on 11th November later this year, when responsibility for both upholding the great traditions of the ‘Friendly Games’ as well as taking the movement into the future will be passed on to either the Gold Coast or Hambantota.”

“It is not just about what each candidate city will offer over 11 days on and off the field of play in 2018, it is also about ensuring that we continue to celebrate the diversities within the Commonwealth, making sure that sport offers our youth a chance for betterment, and its about all stakeholders working together, with the Games as a catalyst, for a better understanding of each other and for peace.”

The CGF Executive Board, chaired by HRH Tunku Imran in the absence of President Michael Fennell who is recovering from heart surgery, appointed Ms Louise Martin CBE, Honorary Secretary of the CGF, as the Chair of the Evaluation Committee.

Other members appointed are Mr Gideon Sam, President South Africa Sports Confederation and National Olympic Committee, Mr Erskine Simmons, Secretary General Barbados Olympic Committee, Mr Andrew Ryan, Executive Director, ASOIF, and Mr Mike Hooper, CGF CEO.

Their work begins next month and the Final Evaluation report will be completed in September.

A draw conducted during the lodgment ceremony determined that Hambantota will be the first city to present to the General Assembly in St Kitts and Nevis on November 11.


Additional Quotes

HAMBANTOTA

Ajith Nivard Cabraal, Hambantota 2018 Organising Committee Co-Chairman and Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka

“A Hambantota 2018 Games will secure long term and sustainable social and economic benefits and drive sustainable development throughout our country.  But it will also bring about a major and exciting change in Commonwealth & world sport – mostly for your sports and competitors.”

“Given the opportunity to host the Games will make such a difference to Commonwealth sport, to its athletes and to the young people in Sri Lanka, South Asia and around the Commonwealth who aspire to excite and thrill us with their performances in 2018.  We are not adapting existing facilities but creating brand new state of the art venues, built around the Athletes’ Village that puts athletes at its heart.  We have already started work on our wonderful new host venue, the adjacent international airport and new road system.  And we are on time and on budget to complete in 2016 so we can host CGA training camps in the 18 months before the Games.”

GOLD COAST

Sam Coffa AM,JP, President, Australian Commonwealth Games Association

"As a country, Australia loves the Games and the stands will be full of cheering spectators supporting both the winners and those who participate."

"The ACGA was very pleased to submit the Gold Coast 2018 Candidature File to the Commonwealth Games Federation and has no doubt the city can host a world class event.

Queensland Premier, Anna Bligh MP

"The submission of the Gold Coast Candidature File is a milestone in the bidding process marked very enthusiastically by a community on the Gold Coast, throughout Queensland and Australia who really want to host the Games in 2018."

"The Games will elaborate our sense of pride for the country we live in and evoke a shared passion that will leave a long term social and cultural legacy for the City."

Mark Stockwell, Chairman, 2018 Gold Coast Bid Committee

"We were pleased with the enthusiasm shown at the lodgement ceremony for the Gold Coast City Candidature and this reflects an Australia wide enthusiasm for the Gold Coast hosting the 2018 Games."

"It has been thus far an amazing process to be involved in – I have enjoyed competing in the Commonwealth and Olympic Games and have now turned my passion to developing a Bid to host the Games in my home country.

“Australia is a nation that embraces sport on all levels across multiple disciplines and we understand the significance and benefits sport and sporting events bring to international peace and goodwill among the family of Commonwealth nations. Gold Coast City is honoured and proud to be Australia’s candidate City and we look forward to the next phase of the Bid and welcoming Commonwealth Games Association representatives to Gold Coast City.

Source: CGF Newsletter

Kuala Lumpur, May 10, 2011

Two cities, Gold Coast in Australia and Hambantota in Sri Lanka, are gearing up for the lodgment of their official bids to host to the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur tomorrow (May 11).

Both cities have taken along high-powered delegations for the presentation to the Commonwealth Games Federation Executive Board.


The Co-Chairmen of the Hambantota bid committee, the Minister of Sports Hon. Mahindananda Aluthgamage, and the Governor of the Sri Lankan Central Bank, Ajith Nivard Cabraal, along with parliamentarian Hon Namal Rajapaksa, former athlete Sriyani Kulawansa, and the bid Chief Executive Nalin Attygalle, will represent the harbour city.

Another 22 members of bid committee from the public and private sectors and the Armed forces will support them.

The Gold Coast team will be headed by Queensland Premier, Hon Anna Bligh MP, Gold Coast City Mayor, Ron Clarke MBE, Australian Commonwealth Games Association President, Sam Coffa, AM, JP, Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games Bid Company Chairman, Mark Stockwell, Australian Commonwealth Games Association, CEO, Perry Crosswhite AM, and Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games Bid Company, CEO, Mark Peters.

Hambantota organisers have said their presentation we will depict Sri Lanka's culture through music and dance, show what they have to offer the Commonwealth’s 71 countries, and highlight that children are the future who will participate in 2018 if the city is successful in its bid.

Commonwealth Games hurdler, silver medalist, Sriyani Kulawansa, who will speak at the bid ceremony, said:

“I won my medal in KL and I am delighted to be back in my medal winning venue to officially lodge the 2018 Bid.”

Hambantota Bid Co-Chairman, Ajith Nivard Cabraal, said:

“The key motivation to host a Commonwealth Games is intrinsically linked with plans for the long-term development of the district of Hambantota and the southern province of Sri Lanka

“Our promise to athletes and guests hoping to visit Hambantota and our beautiful country in 2018, would be that we would provide them with an experience of a lifetime, offering diversity, beauty and charm of our heritage, coupled with exciting festivals and fun.”

Hambantota Bid Committee CEO, Nalin Attygalle, said:

“His Excellency, the President of Sri Lanka, Mahinda Rajapaksa, appointed a high powered committee to head our bid. Fifteen team leaders were appointed to lead 15 themes of the bid books.

“A great deal of effort has gone into producing the bid documents.”

Gold Coast organisers have said that their presentation will have a component that illustrates Australia’s passion for the Games and the event readiness of the Gold Coast and Australia to host another successful Games.

Gold Coast Bid Chairman Mark Stockwell said:

"Our vision is to present the Gold Coast as the best place to conduct a world class Games with excellent competition in a relaxed and friendly environment. As an athlete I understand and appreciate the focus that is needed to ensure athletes can compete at their very best."

Australian Commonwealth Games Association President, Sam Coffa said:

"The Gold Coast is a city that we confidently endorse as a worthy candidate to host the 2018 Commonwealth Games – where sport and indeed athletes are already very much a focus of the community’s attention. Australians consider the opportunity to host the Games as an honour and a privilege and to that end the ACGA is sure Gold Coast City will uphold Australia’s track record in providing a memorable experience for athletes, officials, volunteers, and spectators."

Gold Coast Mayor Ron Clarke said:

"Gold Coast City will not only provide an atmosphere that encourages great athletic performance, but also nurtures new friendships for those involved. It will be a Games that will forge special memories that last a lifetime… like those I have carried with me for more than 50 years."


Note: The formal bid lodgement ceremony is at 12 noon Kuala Lumpur time at the city’s Le Meridien Hotel.

Source: www.insidethegames.com

By Duncan Mackay in Kuala Lumpur

Hambantota were the first of the cities campaigning to host the 2018 Commonwealth Games to arrive here today to prepare to formally deliver their bid books.

The delegation from Sril Lanka arrived having already presented a copy of the important document to the country's President Mahinda Rajapaksa before they left at a special ceremony at the the Temple Trees in Colombo.

The bid book, which outlines the plans for the Games, including details on transport, accommodation and venues, is due to be officially handed over to the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) next Wednesday (May 11).

Hambantota's only rivals, the Gold Coast, are due to arrive in the Malyasian capital tomorrow.

Each city is also due to make a 20-minute presentation when it delivers its book.

"We are pleased to be here in Kuala Lumpur and are looking forward to presenting our exciting plans to the Commonwealth Games Federation," Hambantota 2018 chief executive Nalin Attygalle told insidethegames.

Lots will also be drawn to determine the order of presentations when a decision is made at the CGF Assembly on November 11 in St Kitts and Nevis.

Contact the writer of this story at duncan.mackay@insidethegames.biz.

Source: www.commonwealthgames.ca

In the first year, there were three who went to the Caribbean and the Americas. In the second year, five more went to Africa. And now, in the third year of Commonwealth Games Canada (CGC)’s groundbreaking Capacity Support Program (CSP), 15 talented young Canadians will be placed throughout the Commonwealth—from the Caribbean and the Americas to Africa, Asia and Oceania.

This innovative sport development program, which launched as a pilot program in 2009, is co-funded by the Commonwealth Games Federation and, this year, by the International Olympic Committee (IOC)’s Olympic Solidarity. Under the CSP, young Canadians with sport administration backgrounds are sent to work as Capacity Support Officers (CSOs) with Commonwealth Games Associations and National Olympic Committees in developing countries.

The program’s goal is to augment the sport management capabilities of these organizations, thus reinforcing CGC’s mandate of encouraging international development through sport. In addition to assisting their host organizations, seven CSP interns from the first and second years of the program worked as part of the Results Management Team during the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi last October.

“We are extremely excited about this amazing group of young people who will be working as CSOs throughout the Commonwealth over the next year,” says Carla Thachuk, Director of International Programs at Commonwealth Games Canada. “Not only will our counterparts in these 15 countries benefit from the energy and expertise they bring, but the interns themselves will benefit from an international experience that will be invaluable to them as they go on to develop their careers.”
The third team of Capacity Support Officers—including four past CSOs who successfully reapplied to the program—and their assignments are:

Natalie Brett (the Falkland Islands Overseas Games Association): A native of Ottawa, Natalie holds a Master of Science in Sports Management from Bournemouth University in the U.K. and a Bachelors degree in Exercise Science from Concordia University in Montreal. Since 2009, she has been a Program Coordinator with KidsSport Ottawa.

Kristine Deacon (the Grenada Olympic Committee): A former competitive swimmer, Kristine has coached for the Cambridge Aquajets swim club in her hometown of Cambridge, Ont. since 2004. In 2010, she completed an Honours Arts degree in Canadian Studies and Global Studies at Wilfred Laurier University in Waterloo, ON and volunteered at the Vancouver Olympics.

Chantelle Grant (the Bermuda National Olympic Committee): Chantelle grew up in Mississauga, Ont., and holds a Bachelor of Sport Management degree from Brock University in St. Catharines, Ont. A former competitive gymnast, Chantelle first travelled to Bermuda to work with its National Olympic Committee in 2009 in the first year of the Capacity Support Program.

Matt Hill (the Antigua and Barbuda Olympic and Commonwealth Games Association): A former Red Cross Water Safety Instructor and avid sports fan, Hill is graduating this year with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Wilfrid Laurier University (WLU) in Waterloo, Ont. The Burlington, Ont., native was actively involved at WLU as a student ambassador and has also worked for Tourism Burlington.

Stephanie Johnson (the St Vincent and the Grenadines National Olympic Committee): A resident of Sudbury, Ont., Johnson is in her final year of the Honours Bachelor of Commerce (Sports Administration) program at that city’s Laurentian University. In 2010, she interned at the Georgia State Games in Atlanta as an Event and Volunteer Co-ordinator, and later at at Capital Sports Management in Ottawa as a Program Manager.

Duane Louis (the Samoa Association of Sport and National Olympic Committee): A native of Victoria, B.C., Louis recently completed a year-long placement with the Swaziland Olympic and Commonwealth Games Association as part of the Capacity Support Program. He holds a Sport Management Diploma from Victoria’s Camosun College and, in addition to working with Aboriginal Team B.C. during the 2008 North American Indigenous Games, he was volunteer Technical Manager for the Africa Zone IV Games, held in Swaziland this past December.

Paddye Magill (the Seychelles National Olympic Committee): Magill, who grew up in Ottawa, Ont., is returning to Seychelles this year for a second placement under the Capacity Support Program. A former basketball coach and player, Magill completed her Bachelor of Sport Management degree at Brock University in St. Catharines, Ont., and previously worked at the Ottawa Gymnastics Centre.

Ella Mawdsley (the Tonga Commonwealth Games Association): A former competitive biathlete, Mawdsley recently wrapped up a year-long placement with the Lesotho National Olympic Committee as part of the Capacity Support Program. Mawdsley, who grew up in Fort Smith, N.W.T., holds a Bachelor of Management (Marketing) degree from the University of Lethbridge in Alberta and previously worked as an Account Manager for the Outcrop Communications Group, which has offices across northern Canada.

Wendy Moar (the Uganda Olympic Committee): Moar, who lives in Matlock, Man., has worked as Interlake Region Manager for Sport Manitoba since 2004. In addition to volunteering as accreditation manager for several hockey tournaments, Moar has coached cross-country running at the high-school level and earned a Bachelor of Exercise and Sport Science from the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg.

Kathleen Reeves (the Turks & Caicos Commonwealth Games Association): Reeves, who hails from Ottawa, has a Master of Arts degree with a specialization in Sport Management and a Bachelor of Science in Human Kinetics from the University of Ottawa, where she was also a Member of the Varsity Rugby team. An avid participant, official and volunteer for a wide array of sports, she has worked as Account Manager for the Ottawa Senators Hockey Club since 2008.

Jackie Snell (the Dominica Olympic Committee): A Victoria, B.C., native, Snell holds a Bachelor of Recreation and Health Education from the University of Victoria, where she was a member of the Varsity Soccer Team. Since earning her degree in 2010, she has held various positions within the University of Victoria’s Department of Athletics and Recreation, and worked in the Athletes’ Village during the 2010 Vancouver Olympics.

Jordan Thomson (the Guyana National Olympic Committee): Currently a resident of Toronto, Thomson has worked with Right to Play since June 2010, first as a Program Coordinator and later as a Training Consultant. A former professional baseball player with the San Francisco Giants from 2004 to 2006, he holds a Master of Science, Sport and Recreation Business Management degree from the University of Edinburgh in Scotland and an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice from Northeastern University in Boston.

Colin Whitmee (the Bahamas National Olympic Committee): Whitmee, who hails from Ottawa, has worked and volunteered for a variety of sport organizations, including Water Ski and Wakeboard Canada and the Ottawa Senators. He has a graduate certificate in Sport Business Management from Algonquin College in Ottawa as well as a Bachelor of Arts from Mount Allison University in Sackville, N.B. and previously taught English in South Korea.

Jessica Wolfenden (the Cayman Islands Olympic Committee): In 2009, Wolfenden graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Maine in Orono, where she won a full athletic scholarship to play NCAA Division 1 volleyball. Most recently, she has worked as a teacher with the Play House Learning Centre in her hometown of Ottawa, as well as a beach volleyball instructor and official with City of Ottawa—Parks and Recreation.

Denise Yuen (the Commonwealth Games Association of Sri Lanka): Since 2008, Yuen, who hails from Coquitlam, B.C., has worked as Manager of Community Development with Special Olympics British Columbia and currently volunteers as a snowboard instructor for Vancouver Adaptive Snow Sports. She holds a Bachelors degree in Human Kinetics from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver and a Graduate Diploma in Business Administration from that city’s Simon Fraser University.
The first three CSOs left Canada in September 2009 and completed their 14-month service in Bermuda, Barbados and Trinidad & Tobago late last year. Five others returned from a year-long placement in the African countries of Lesotho, Swaziland, Seychelles, Zambia and Botswana in March of this year.
The next placements will run until from April 18, 2011 to March 31, 2012.