South Africa Contemplate Durban 2024 Games Bid

The government in South Africa is considering a bid for the 2024 Olympic Games to be played in Durban.

No African country has ever hosted the Olympic Games, but there is a wide-spread belief that South Africa will become the first in the next few bidding campaigns.

Cape Town 2004 was the only previous bid from South Africa and the bid made the final three cities list, before losing to Rome and then Athens.

Sport and Recreation South Africa (SRSA) spokesman Paena Galane said: “The sport economy is one of the major fundamentals for the country. We continue to attract major events, and are attractive to the world after hosting world events like the FIFA World Cup (2010).”

Galane added that Sport Minister Fikile Mbalula was in Argentina attending the World Anti-Doping Agency executive meeting and that members of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said Durban was their ‘preferred destination’ for 2024.

In an exclusive interview with iSportconnect, IOC member and Presidential candidate for the recent elections, Ser Miang Ng, said he expected Africa to host the Games in his lifetime, although he doubted it would be in 2024.

“I was told that the IOC needs to put in extra effort to support Africa,” said Ng. “Obviously any city that bids has to pass the test but the IOC could definitely do a lot to build up and support them, so one day they can bid.

“I said that during my lifetime I am quite sure that we will see an Olympic Games in Africa. Not 2024, but perhaps 2028 or 2032.”

However, despite claims from the SRSA, KwaZulu-Natal’s head of economic development and tourism Desmond Golding said no decision had been made regarding the 2024 Games.