9 November 2007

UK Athletics has welcomed the decision to award the 2014 Commonwealth Games to Glasgow.

The decision, which was announced today by the Commonwealth Games Federation who were meeting in Colombo, Sri Lanka, will mean Great Britain will host two of the World’s largest sports events in the space of two years.

More specifically, athletes from the home countries will have another opportunity to compete in front of a home crowd.

All 71 countries and territories of the Commonwealth voted on the decision to award the 2014 Commonwealth Games to Glasgow over rival bidders from Abuja in Nigeria. Both cities made a 30-minute presentation to the delegates and took part in a ten minute questions and answers session before the vote took place.

UK Athletics Chairman Ed Warner said: "Congratulations to everyone at Glasgow 2014, they put together an outstanding bid and will now host what I’m sure will be an outstanding Commonwealth Games.

"2014 coupled with 2012 gives young British athletes an unprecedented opportunity to compete against the rest of the world twice on home soil and that will act as a fantastic incentive for them all and hopefully spur a new generation of talent."