INLSA

Tubby Reddy

The SA Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc) has invited Durban to bid to host the 2018 Youth Olympic Games.

In a letter dated February 2, Sascoc CEO Tubby Reddy said the International Olympic Committee had approached all national Olympic committees across the globe to consider bidding to host the 2018 Youth Olympics. Reddy said that in line with the vision driven by Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula, Sascoc believed that the 2018 Youth Olympics would be a catalyst to showcase the work being done in South Africa in terms of sports development.

“We are enquiring whether the city of Durban would be amenable to consider bidding to host this prestigious event… We would be happy to meet with your team and give a full explanation in order for you to make your final decision,” he wrote.

Reddy also told the city that the deadline to submit the name of South Africa’s bid city was March 1, and urged the municipality to respond to the invitation “as soon as possible”.

The invitation, which would be considered by the eThekwini council’s executive committee today, comes in the wake of the controversy generated by eThekwini’s hosting of the internationally acclaimed Top Gear motoring festival at Durban’s Moses Mabhida Stadium in June.

A deal to host the event has been signed between the city, the province and the show’s producers. Earlier, reports suggested that R31 million would be needed to host the festival for the next three years, with eThekwini ratepayers having to pay more than R15m, and the balance being covered by the province.

The festival, however, has been slammed by opposition parties as a waste of ratepayers’ money and as an event that – because of its hefty ticket prices, which fetch R250 to R500 a person – would exclude the majority of eThekwini residents.