2030 Commonwealth Games on SA radar; 2036 Olympic deadline looms

South Africa has been asked by Commonwealth Sport (CS) to bid for the 2030 Games, says South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc) president Barry Hendricks.

But the country’s hope of bidding for the 2036 Olympics has yet to be approved by cabinet, with the deadline coming up within the next two weeks.

Hendricks wasn’t fazed at the prospect of missing the deadline, saying they could still bid for 2040, describing the process as “a learning curve”.

The CS request to South Africa — with five other countries apparently interested in the centennial Commonwealth Games — comes eight years after the country gave up the 2022 edition scheduled for Durban.

Hendricks pointed out the nature of hosting had changed since then, with multi-city bids now being acceptable as a way of keeping costs down.

“[For 2022] we couldn’t get the security or surety for the R4.5bn [cost]. The fundamental concept of the Commonwealth Games has changed, where we have Scotland now running on a £100m (R2.4bn) ( budget, which is not too bad. That budget was provided by Commonwealth Sport.”

Glasgow, the hosts in 2014, stepped in to rescue the 2026 Games after the state of Victoria in Australia gave up the showpiece. 

Hendricks stressed that one city did not have to be burdened by exorbitant costs associated with the Games. “Again, not a single host city, perhaps one or two host cities that can assist us with indoor facilities as well as outdoor facilities such as pools, beaches and so on.”

Commonwealth Sport is the new name of the Commonwealth Games Federation. 

Hendricks, pointing out South Africa could also cut its teeth hosting the youth editions of the Olympics and Commonwealth Games, said the first International Olympic Committee deadline for interested 2036 host bidders was approaching.

“We are still waiting for cabinet approval. We are running out of time,” he said.

“It’s part of our learning curve, it’s part of our preparation. For now we’re saying ‘look, South Africa is interested’. Whether we are ready now is another matter, but it teaches us what we can do over the next eight years to get to 2040.”