The Commission, chaired by Scotland's Ms. Louise Martin is scheduled to begin its formal tasks today. The four-day visit will end on June 30.

The Commission will conduct meetings in Colombo as well as visiting Hambantota on Tuesday to see the city and the proposed sites.

At the end of their visit, the Commission is to produce a technical report that examines the city's ability to stage the Games, set against Games requirements, the CGF said in a statement.

The Commission's report will be published no later than a month before the CGF's General Assembly in November 2011 in St. Kitts & Nevis where they would announce the winning bid.

The 71 nations and territories that make up the CGF will vote to select the city that is to be awarded the 2018 Games.

The Commission visited the other bidding city, Gold Coast of Australia from June 20-23.
"The Gold Coast impressed us with what they have on offer, and we are confident that Hambantota has also put together a very comprehensive bid," Mrs. Martin has said.

President South Africa Sports Confederation and National Olympic Committee Gideon Sam, Secretary General Barbados Olympic Committee Erskine Simmons, Executive Director, ASOIF, Andrew Ryan, and CGF CEO Mike Hooper, are the other members of the Commission.