Durban stripped of right to host 2022 Commonwealth Games - CGF

The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) has informed South Africa that the city of Durban has been stripped of its right to stage the 2022 Commonwealth Games following a series of missed deadlines and financial problems.

The CGF said Monday that the city had failed to fulfil the promises contained in its bid to host the Games, and that a search for a replacement host city is now on.

Africa has never hosted the Games, which take place every four years and bring together athletes from the 52 members of the Commonwealth.

South African Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula said earlier the projected costs of hosting the Games were more than the country's economy could afford and that negotiations to cut the budget had stalled.

The President of the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee, Gideon Sam, said the decision of the CGF was a huge disappointment to the whole of Africa.

He was speaking from London where he was attending a CGF meeting when the decision to pull the plug on Durban was announced.

-- BERNAMA