A leading sports official in Trinidad & Tobago has disclosed that the twin-island nation has withdrawn from bidding to stage the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
Larry Romany, president of the T&T Olympic Committee, revealed on Sunday that the Commonwealth Games Federation has been informed of the decision.
"The T&T OC and the Government of T&T conducted a full review, open, constructive, and candid discussions in respect of all the current and projected circumstances and concluded that progressing a 2018 bid at this time is not a prudent or responsible course of action," said Romany on the Inside the Games website.
The T&T OC President acknowledged that the current economic crisis paid a major part in T&T's decision not to bid. The cost of hosting such an event is prohibitive to be able to host the games. It is reported that India is spending $2.3 billion for building infrastructure for the Games. The cost for T&T would be atleast $4 billion.
"Arriving at this point demanded balancing aspirations, ambitions, practical, and pragmatic considerations," he said.
"We wish the other potential 2018 candidates best of luck."
T&T Prime Minister Patrick Manning had given a strong undertaking that the two-island republic would bid for the Games, after the country had successfully hosted the Commonwealth Heads of Governments Meeting last year.
A year earlier, they had planned to bid, but the decision to cancel the Caribbean Games last June on the advice of the country's Ministry of Health and the World Health Organisation because of the swine flu epidemic, also contributed to scepticism about hosting the Games.
The Games have not been staged in the Caribbean since Kingston in Jamaica hosted it in 1966.
The CGF are set to announce which city will host the 2018 Games during its annual meeting in St. Kitts & Nevis in November.
Delhi, India, will host this year's Games, and Glasgow, Scotland, will stage the event four years later.
Larry Romany, president of the T&T Olympic Committee, revealed on Sunday that the Commonwealth Games Federation has been informed of the decision.
"The T&T OC and the Government of T&T conducted a full review, open, constructive, and candid discussions in respect of all the current and projected circumstances and concluded that progressing a 2018 bid at this time is not a prudent or responsible course of action," said Romany on the Inside the Games website.
The T&T OC President acknowledged that the current economic crisis paid a major part in T&T's decision not to bid. The cost of hosting such an event is prohibitive to be able to host the games. It is reported that India is spending $2.3 billion for building infrastructure for the Games. The cost for T&T would be atleast $4 billion.
"Arriving at this point demanded balancing aspirations, ambitions, practical, and pragmatic considerations," he said.
"We wish the other potential 2018 candidates best of luck."
T&T Prime Minister Patrick Manning had given a strong undertaking that the two-island republic would bid for the Games, after the country had successfully hosted the Commonwealth Heads of Governments Meeting last year.
A year earlier, they had planned to bid, but the decision to cancel the Caribbean Games last June on the advice of the country's Ministry of Health and the World Health Organisation because of the swine flu epidemic, also contributed to scepticism about hosting the Games.
The Games have not been staged in the Caribbean since Kingston in Jamaica hosted it in 1966.
The CGF are set to announce which city will host the 2018 Games during its annual meeting in St. Kitts & Nevis in November.
Delhi, India, will host this year's Games, and Glasgow, Scotland, will stage the event four years later.
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