On October 15, Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced that India will host the 2030 Commonwealth Games, marking the country’s return to the global multi-sport stage 20 years after the controversy-marred 2010 edition. The Commonwealth Sport Executive Board has recommended Ahmedabad as the host city for the centenary Games. While Abuja, the capital of Nigeria, was also in contention, Ahmedabad was ultimately selected as the final venue.
A day of immense joy and pride for India.
Heartiest congratulations to every citizen of India on Commonwealth Association's approval of India's bid to host the Commonwealth Games 2030 in Ahmedabad. It is a grand endorsement of PM Shri @narendramodi Ji's relentless efforts to…
— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) October 15, 2025
Formal approval for India’s hosting of the 2030 Commonwealth Games is expected at the Commonwealth Games Federation’s General Assembly in Glasgow on November 26, 2025. This milestone is seen as a significant step toward India’s long-term aspiration of hosting the 2036 Olympic Games. The union government has described the announcement as a “day of immense joy and pride.”
In his statement, Union Home Minister Amit Shah praised the decision, attributing it to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s emphasis on strengthening sports infrastructure and nurturing athletic talent, which he said has positioned India as a “marvel of sports destination.” Indian Olympic Association President P T Usha also welcomed the development, saying the Games will demonstrate India’s ability to host large-scale international events and will serve as an inspiration to the nation’s youth. She called it a meaningful stride toward the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.
India previously hosted the Commonwealth Games in 2010 in New Delhi, an edition that was marred by poor planning, construction delays, and serious allegations of corruption. As India prepares for the 2030 Games, those memories cast a long shadow, raising expectations for a clean, efficient, and timely execution. The union government now faces the challenge of demonstrating that it has learned from past mistakes and is capable of delivering a world-class event that meets global standards.
How the commonwealth games scam unfolded
When India secured the bid to host the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, it was hailed as a moment of national pride. However, what was meant to be a celebration of India’s sporting ambition soon became synonymous with large-scale mismanagement and corruption. The events surrounding the 2010 CWG continue to cast a long shadow over the country’s sporting legacy.
The saga began in November 2003, when India won the bid to host the Games, edging out strong contender Canada. At the time, the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) estimated the total cost of the event at just Rs 1,200 crore, a figure that was later criticised as “stunning in its short-sightedness.” As preparations began, it quickly became clear that the estimate was grossly unrealistic. Allegations also emerged that India had secured votes for the bid by offering a $100,000 grant to each Commonwealth nation’s Olympic committee, a move former Sports Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar later likened to a “bribe.”
In December 2004, Congress MP Suresh Kalmadi was appointed Chairman of the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee. The appointment, made on the recommendation of the Prime Minister’s Office, went ahead despite objections from then Sports Minister, the late Sunil Dutt. Kalmadi’s elevation gave him sweeping control over the Games’ preparations, a move auditors would later flag as a critical error.
Between 2006 and 2009, construction of stadiums and urban infrastructure progressed at an alarmingly slow pace. Cost estimates for the Games underwent seven revisions between April 2007 and September 2010, climbing from Rs 3,566 crore to Rs 11,687 crore. By the time the Games were held, the cumulative expenditure by various government agencies had ballooned to around Rs 18,532 crore, more than fifteen times the original bid estimate.
This dramatic cost escalation, combined with delays, shoddy workmanship, and multiple corruption allegations, turned what should have been a moment of national triumph into one of the most embarrassing scandals in Indian sports history. As India now prepares to host the 2030 edition, the lessons of 2010 remain a sobering reminder of what’s at stake.
The final stretch of the 2010 CWG
As the opening of the 2010 Commonwealth Games drew closer, early warning signs began to surface. In late 2009, Commonwealth Games Federation President Michael Fennell issued a public warning that preparations were lagging significantly. “Time is your enemy,” he cautioned the Delhi organisers, highlighting the growing concern at the international level. In response, the CGF established a special review panel to monitor the progress on a monthly basis, underscoring the urgency of the situation.
India’s then Sports Minister M S Gill attempted to reassure stakeholders, promising that the government would inject additional funds as required to ensure the Games’ success. However, this only served to confirm what many already suspected: cost control had all but collapsed.
In July 2010, internal criticism grew louder when former Sports Minister and senior Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar sharply condemned the scale of expenditure. He argued that Rs 35,000 crore was being spent on what he called a “circus,” while grassroots sports infrastructure and opportunities for the underprivileged remained neglected. He went so far as to say he would be “unhappy” if the Games succeeded, warning that it would legitimise such extravagance. Aiyar also reiterated allegations that India had effectively “bribed” other Commonwealth nations to win the bid. In response, CWG Organising Committee Chairman Suresh Kalmadi dismissed his comments as “irresponsible” and “anti-national.”
The situation reached a breaking point in September 2010, just days before the event. On September 21, only twelve days before the opening ceremony, a newly built 95-metre foot overbridge near the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, the main venue, collapsed. Twenty-seven workers were injured, starkly exposing the poor construction standards and negligence that had plagued preparations. This last-minute chaos, combined with mounting criticism and infrastructure failures, further eroded public confidence. The collapse became emblematic of the deeper structural and ethical failures that defined the 2010 Games.
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