Commonwealth candidate City of Hambantota will today make a crucial pitch for its bid to host the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur.

The pitch or the bid lodgment by the candidate cities is a vital step in their hopes of securing the 2018 Commonwealth Games. Apart from Hambantota, Australia’s Gold Coast is the other contender.

Sri Lanka’s official bid book was presented to President Mahinda Rajapaksa last week.
The same Bid Book will be officially handed over today when Commonwealth Games Federation meets.

Representatives from Sri Lanka are to make a 20-minute presentation at the formal lodgement ceremony in Kuala Lumpur. Australia will also get a similar duration.
Sri Lanka is fielding a large contingent including athletes, sports and games officials as well as supporting business leaders to reinforce the message that everyone in Sri Lanka is behind the bid.

Hambantota 2018 Organising Committee Co-Chair Nivard Cabraal who is also the Central Bank Governor told the Daily FT prior to his departure Malaysia how Sri Lanka presents its bid today will be critical.

He acknowledged that such a presentation within 20 minutes was a challenging task but the Lankan contingent had rehearsed the process many a time before taking off to Malaysia.

“We will show why we want to host and how we will host it with clear deliverables. Our presentation will be innovative and insightful. We are confident of putting our best effort,” Cabraal added.

Following the lodgement today the Commonwealth Games Evaluation Commission will visit the venue and produce a detailed report which will be circulated to all Commonwealth Games Associations (CGAs) and made public.

The CGAs then have the opportunity to visit each candidate city once to view facilities, venues and receive presentations from the bid committee, the CGF says.

The eventual voting to select the host city will be during the CGF General Assembly, consisting of representatives of all 71 member nations and territories, in St. Kitts & Nevis in November 2011.