While both cities vying to host the 2014 Commonwealth Games are reportedly confident that their side will win, Scotland’s First Minister Alex Salmond said Glasgow had delivered a “first class bid” and General Yakubu Gowon, president of Abuja 2014, said it was time for Africa to hold its first Commonwealth Games.
Glasgow and Abuja have been fiercely lobbying ahead of Friday’s decision. At the Cinnamon Grand Hotel in Colombo Glasgow hosted a dinner and according to BBC Sport the fare was haggis neeps and tatties, the dress was tartan, and there was a lot of dancing. Each delegate was given a Glasgow “goodie” bag containing whisky, handmade chocolates and a handwritten “sleep well” note.
Abuja hosted a similar lunchtime event Thursday.
Thursday both teams held a press conference to discuss their bids. Salmond said, “we have been working to present what we believe is a first-class bid for Glasgow and for Scotland. Obviously the competition is intense, but it is a friendly competition. We have got great respect for our rival bid, but we are very confident about Glasgow and Scotland’s prospects”.
Glasgow City Council leader Steven Purcell agreed it was a friendly competition, adding it was also a fierce competition. He said, “we are looking forward to the friendly games coming to the friendly city”.
Gen. Gowon said their bid was not only for Abuja but for the whole of Africa. “We will be ready. We have held similar games, two African games, and they were both very successful. We are capable of doing this”.
Habu Gumel, president of the Nigeria Olympic Committee said, “we have all the facilities, all the support of the government, the funding and the security. We are confident that tomorrow the vote will be in favour of Abuja”.
Abuja 2014 spokesman Mitchell Obi said it was a “landmark bid” for their country. “For the first time you have a city within a continent really going all out to match another continent with tremendous experience and, some would say, heritage in their bidding. It has been a milestone”.
Salmond, discussing the technical aspects of Glasgow’s bid, said it was a “huge advantage” that more than 70 per cent of facilities were already in place, allowing them to concentrate on building an athlete-centred games for all the commonwealth.
When asked if Abuja felt Glasgow was in the lead with just over 24 hours to go Gowon said, “the answer is no. We are going in there for a good, good fight”.
Earlier on BBC Radio Salmond said the contest would “go down to the wire” when the votes were cast Friday, but he believes that Glasgow has enough support to claim victory.
Mike Fennell, Commonwealth Games Federation president said, “it is a very exciting time for us. We have two excellent bids”.
Each city will make a 30-minute presentation about its bid followed by ten minutes of questions and answers before the vote.
All 71 Commonwealth member countries and territories have a single vote and a majority of 36 is needed to secure the Games for either city. The delegates will then take part in a secret ballot, the votes will be counted, and the result placed in an envelope to be opened and announced by Fennel.
If there is a tie after the first vote, which could occur if there is a spoiled ballot, there will be a second vote. In case of another tie Fennel will have the deciding vote.
