African Sports Monthly Mar, 2015 | Page 16

However, the cost of hosting the Games is a sensitive issue and many believe that money used to fund the Games should rather be spent on basic services, reported The Citizen. Officials argue that Durban will focus on upgrading existing facilities, with only the athletes’ village and a shooting range being built from scratch. “If you look at Durban, the main stadium is in place, the swimming pool is in place, the athletics track is in place,” said Sam. Furthermore, most of the venues will be within 2.5 kilometers of the main Moses Mabhida Stadium, a venue which we used for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. “We will follow the 2012 London Olympics lead and use exhibition centers for the indoor sports,” said Sam. National government, local government and sports officials have not yet revealed the costs involved. “The time has come for Africa to host these Games. We have the infrastructure,” said Sam. Speculation about an Olympics bid Bidding for the Commonwealth Games is considered as a possible dress rehearsal for a 2024 or 2028 Olympics bid.