Gandhinagar: A high-level Commonwealth Sport delegation, led by president Donald Rukare, began its four-day Gujarat visit on Wednesday to review preparations for the 2030 Commonwealth Games to be held in Ahmedabad city. The delegation, which also includes officials of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), first met CM Bhupendra Patel in Gandhinagar. An official statement said that Commonwealth Sport President Rukare and CEO Katie Sadleir appreciated the warm welcome and hospitality they received in Gujarat.The delegation, which will be in Gujarat until April 11, will visit various completed and ongoing projects and also hold a series of meetings with officials connected with organizing the Games.The CM posted on his X handle, “It was a pleasure to meet the Commonwealth Sport delegation in Gandhinagar during its first official visit to Gujarat to review preparations for the 2030 Commonwealth Games, led by President Donald Rukare.”He added that the meeting discussed time-bound, qualitative, and effective project planning. Patel assured the delegation and the IOA that the state govt would provide all necessary facilities and infrastructure for the successful conduct of the Commonwealth Games. “Showcasing our world-class infrastructure and readiness, we reaffirmed Gujarat’s commitment to providing all necessary facilities for the successful hosting of CWG 2030,” Patel wrote on X. The statement said that Rukare and Sadleir invited Patel to attend and study the arrangements for the Commonwealth Games to be held in Glasgow from July 23 to Aug 2, and Patel accepted the invitation. During the four-day visit, the Commonwealth Sport delegation will inspect key venues proposed for the Games, including Veer Savarkar Sports Complex, Narendra Modi Stadium, EKA Arena in Ahmedabad, Vadodara Cricket Stadium and the Statue of Unity at Ekta Nagar, the release said. Ahmedabad city was formally awarded the hosting rights of the 2030 Commonwealth Games during the Commonwealth Sport’s general assembly in Nov last year, paving the way for the multisport event’s return to the country after two decades.
