October 18 - Canada's Bruce Robertson, the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) vice-president, claims that the vote on who will stage the 2018 competition presents a difficult choice for members with Australia's Gold Coast and Sri Lanka's Hambantota both bidding to host the event.

Delegates from 71 Commonwealth nations and territories will gather to cast one vote each at the CGF General Assembly on November 11 in St Kitts and Nevis to determine the hosts of the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

CGF vice president Robertson - who is also the chair of the CGF Marketing Committee and the Glasgow 2014 Coordination Commission - feels that voting delegates face a tough decision on which bid to choose due to the fact that there is such a contrast between the Gold Coast and Hambantota.

"The 2018 vote will be a very difficult choice for our members to make because the two bids are so different," Robertson told insidethegames.

"Both cities have completely different ideas about how they want to lever their investment in the Games and both offer very different environments and therefore completely contrasting approaches.

"The Gold Coast has a lot of established venues and a lot of organisational capacity.

"Hambantota has a wonderful concept around their Games city but obviously the venues there have not yet been built so they will certainly have some delivery challenges over a seven-year project.

"So it will be a very interesting vote and I am quite honestly not sure which way the members are going to go."

Robertson, a former swimmer who won multiple medals at both the Commonwealth Games and the Olympic Games in the 1970s, continued that he is pleased to see two such different bids for the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

"It is fantastic that there is so much interest in the Commonwealth Games as a property and opportunity," he said.

"The 2018 bid race shows just what the event can do for a city and a country regardless of the state of infrastructure or economy in the region and I wish both the Gold Coast and Hambantota the best of luck."

During the CGF General Assembly in St Kitts and Nevis, Robertson will be bidding for a third term as CGF vice-president having been in the role since 2003.

He faces tough competition to secure one of the two CGF vice-presidency places, as he is one of four strong candidates bidding alongside England's Ian Emmerson, South Africa's Gideon Sam and Kip Keino of Kenya.

Malaysia's Prince Tunku Imran, who is currently the other CGF vice-president serving alongside Robertson, will take over from Jamaica's Mike Fennell as CGF President at the General Assembly next month after he was the only candidate to put himself forward when the deadline for candidates closed in August this year.

The announcement of the 2018 Commonwealth Games host in St Kitts and Nevis will be Fennell's last act as President following a successful 17 years in charge and he will step down and become a life vice-president of the organisation.

-Tom Degun

Source: www.insidethegames.biz