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Glasgow wins chance to host 2014 Commonwealth Games
24/09/2004
Glasgow has emerged as Scotland's winning candidate for
the chance to host the 2014 Commonwealth Games.
The Commonwealth Games Council made the announcement
today after the council unanimously backed the city at a
meeting in Stirling on Thursday.
Scotland and Glasgow may go up against rivals in South
Africa, Wales, Singapore, Canada and New Zealand if the
council decide to pursue a bid.
First Minister Jack McConnell said:
"I am sure that this has been a difficult decision for
the Scottish Games Council. I congratulate Glasgow and
commiserate with Edinburgh.
"I want Scotland to host major events and the
Commonwealth Games is one of the best. A Commonwealth Games
in Glasgow would be a fantastic occasion for our country
and for sport.
"Our Government will now join the Bid Assessment Group
and will help ensure the Games Council can make a final
decision on a potential bid next year. If they decide to go
ahead, they will have my full support."
Chairman of the CGCS Louise Martin said:
"I would like to express my thanks to Edinburgh and
Glasgow, who both put forward excellent preliminary
proposals outlining how they would host the Commonwealth
Games.
"It is always difficult to have to choose one over
another, but based on the assessment, we were unanimous
that working with Glasgow as lead city would give us the
best possible chance of success in the future should we
decide to make a formal bid.
"Considerable work now needs to be done to establish if
Scotland can put together a strong bid which we are
confident will more than meet the requirements of the
Commonwealth Games Federation and which also compares
favourably against bids from other countries."
A bid assessment group made up of Scottish sports chiefs
will now be set up to launch a feasibility study into
Glasgow's chances of hosting the event.
They will compare the merits of Glasgow - which has
never hosted the games - with its international rivals and
come back with a decision in summer 2005.