Cape Town - The South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc) on Tuesday said it was upbeat about the country's chances of hosting the 2022 Commonwealth games.
Briefing Parliament's portfolio committee on sport, SASCOC and bid committee CEO Tubby Reddy said while the Durban bid went unopposed, the bid committee still had to satisfy the Executive Committee of the Commonwealth Games Federation that they were able to host the games successfully. "We confident that we will be awarded the rights to host," Reddy told MPs.
“A final decision on whether the bid was successful would be announced on September 2. "...Hopefully Durban will behave during that period...so that our visitors feel at ease," said bid committee chairman Mark Alexander in apparent reference to the outbreak of xenophobic violence in KwaZulu Natal in April.
Sascoc President Gideon Sam said he had apologised twice to African countries which were part of the Commonwealth for the recent attacks on foreigners. In turn, the Commonwealth's 18 African countries had pledged support for the Durban bid. "Africa is behind us, I can assure you," said Sam. - ANA