Gandhinagar: A delegation from Gujarat, headed by Harsh Sanghavi, the state’s Minister of Sports, held discussions with senior Commonwealth Sport officials in London. This meeting was part of continued efforts to enhance knowledge and collaboration related to the Commonwealth Games 2030 bid.

As per an official statement, subsequent to the meetings with the Commonwealth Sport team, the delegation met Ms. Catherine West, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, and discussed potential areas of collaboration in sports, health, and infrastructure. The delegation also invited Ms. West to plan a visit to Gujarat to further deepen the collaboration and engagement between the UK and Gujarat.

The delegation also held a comprehensive discussion with the School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences at Loughborough University. They discussed four specific areas of collaboration with the university officials, including sports curriculum development from an academic perspective with specific emphasis on faculty and student exchange, development of sports coaches, sports events management, and podium strategy for specific sports in the state. The delegation also invited the officials to visit Gujarat to study the sports ecosystem and evaluate the possibility of opening a city campus in Ahmedabad.

The official release also stated that the delegation members visited the O2 Arena and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to understand various multi-use options for sports infrastructure facilities, including the promotion of the ‘concert economy’ to create economic impact from live music events such as concerts and festivals. The delegation also studied various sustainability features used in the design of sports infrastructure at these facilities.

The delegation also included members from the Commonwealth Games Association of India and the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India. DeshGujarat