Durban’s chance of hosting the Commonwealth Games in 2022 is ebbing away as the London-based Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) has still not given the final thumbs up.
Sources are saying the federation is looking at alternatives such as Australia, Canada or England.
But this was denied by its spokesperson Martin Reynolds. “It is categorically untrue to suggest that any decisions have been made by the review team,” Reynolds said.
That submission, handed in on time, looked at government's financial commitment, logistical guarantees and the composition of the Local Organising Committee (LOC).
Insiders say what is compromising Durban’s chances is the government’s insistence on running the Games instead of allowing the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc) to get on with it.
The Sunday Tribune viewed a confidential letter, written by a high-ranking Sascoc member to other officials, in which he expressed his unhappiness at how government planned to “dominate” the Games and reduce Sascoc officials to bit part roles.
The official said he wrote the letter after viewing the November 30 submission.
However, Reynolds would not comment on these concerns.
“The CGF’s executive board meets quarterly, and the next meeting is in March,” he said. He would not confirm if it would meet earlier.
On Friday, another source said Sascoc and the Department of Sport and Recreation officials had braced themselves for it all to be wrenched away from Durban.
“The federation will never agree to the Games being run by government,” the source said. It was a sentiment repeated in the confidential Sascoc official's letter in which the writer said the November 30 submission was “seriously government-biased”.
“In the case of the LOC, government and other parties dominate the committee as opposed to the CGF prescripts,” the letter said.
The letter writer also said the local technical co-ordinating committee comprised national, provincial and local government members, which was a “big problem”.
“‘There is no provision for Sascoc participation. In fact, my view is that being part of the LOC is purely academic because the entire Games are led and driven by the tiers of government.
“I am convinced that (the November 30 submission) will be rejected in totality, and we run the risk of losing the hosting rights altogether,” the official wrote.
Sascoc president and the federation's vice-president Gideon Sam said the wait for the federation to make its final call was disconcerting.
“But I understand the CGF’s process because the executive members are from around the world, and once they meet, a decision will be made for or against Durban,” Sam said, adding it was speculation to say the federation would pull the plug if the government insisted on calling the shots.
But he admitted being a “worried man” because preparation time was ebbing away.
“Even if the Games were awarded to someone else, they too would be worried because time is moving on.” However, Sam was not prepared to accept that Durban's chance was lost.
“I am hopeful I will get a call from (CGF president) Louise Martin telling me that Durban has got the Games.”
The 2022 Games are expected to draw 1.4 million visitors to Durban, create 11 000 jobs and net a projected profit margin of R20 billion.