Come summer 2022 and thousands of athletes, fans and officials from over 70 countries and territories will touch down in Birmingham for the commonwealth games.
Birmingham is among the youngest cities in Europe and enjoys rich diversity. It is known to offer a warm welcome to visitors from around the globe.
2022 Commonwealth Games will give an opportunity for Britain to showcase its regional strength, inclusivity, accessibility, and their focus on regeneration.
It is not business as usual outside the Arthur Robertson pub in Perry Barr at this time as it is among the epicenters for the games.
The game organizers are working to improve Alexander Stadium, with bulldozers cleaning a former university to pave way for athletes. This has made people growing vegetables next to the stadium at the Walsall Road allotments fear that the state may grab their land.
Birmingham boasts of many sports venues, arenas as well as conference halls ideal for hosting sports during the Commonwealth Games. With organizers saying that 95 percent of venues are already complete. It is no doubt that Birmingham 2022 Games will be worth remembering.
The refurbishment and improvement of Alexander Stadium will in no doubt play a vital role in enhancing the Birmingham 2022 Games.
While Birmingham is already a renowned venue for athletics as well as home to UK Athletics, it will cement its reputation as a ‘’Running City’’ by providing improved competition and training facilities at the Stadium.
Birmingham bid consists of three arenas for the event: NEC, NEC Arena, and Arena Birmingham.
The NEC halls will host Judo, Boxing, Table Tennis, freestyle wrestling and Weightlifting. On the other hand, the NEC Arena will host Badminton whereas Arena Birmingham will be hosting Artistic and Rhythmic Gymnastics.
Hockey and Squash will take place at the new Squash courts and Hockey Pitches at the University of Birmingham, the leading sporting universities in the United Kingdom. Besides, players will use the university facilities for training ahead of the match.
Sandwell Aquatic Center, the only new-build venue in Birmingham’s bid will host diving, swimming, and para-swimming. Netball will take place at the Coventry Indoor Arenas. Sandwell Aquatic Center and Coventry Indoor Arena will offer the best of the wider West Midlands region for the Birmingham 2022 Games.
Villa Park Stadium will host the rugby seven games.
India Planning to Boycott Birmingham 2022 Games
India has participated in most of the Commonwealth Games held in the past. In fact, they were the host during the 2020 games, where they recorded the best results. At the event, Indian athletes won 38 gold, 36 bronze, and 27 silver medals.
For many years, fans have been visiting betting sites like the Mobilbet to place their bets and try their luck during the Commonwealth Games. However, if things go according to Narinder Batra’s plan, India may boycott the CommonWealth Games for good.
Narinder Batra, the Indian Olympic Association president has called for India to boycott the Commonwealth Games permanently. Narinder argues that CWG no longer has relevance as a sporting event.
He is also protesting the decision by Commonwealth Games Federation to remove shooting competition from the list of sporting events at the Commonwealth Games. The Indian Olympic Association has been doing well in the shooting competition having bagged 16 shooting medals Gold Coast Commonwealth Games last year.
Nigel Adams, the UK sports minister said that they would like India to participate in the games. He admitted that people love shooting during the Commonwealth Games, and confirmed that he had written to the Commonwealth federation to see how they can find a compromise to accommodate the game in any form.
This would mean allowing shooting competition to be staged during the Commonwealth Games although it would not be in the actual program.
However, participation in the Commonwealth games is more important than the medals. Every sporting event is important because it provides a platform for countries to interact and share their diversity.
While India has taken notable steps in other fields, the ‘’sports for all’’ vision is not yet attained. Therefore, the country should use sporting events such as CWG to get closer to this dream.
David Grevemberg, the Commonwealth Games Federation’s chief executive promised to talk to India (the Game’s largest nation) to ensure they send their players for the Commonwealth Games, adding that there is a huge Indian community in Birmingham waiting to celebrate them.
