Sam was elected to one of the two CGF vice-presidency slots, along with Canada's Bruce Robertson, here at the organisation's General Assembly in a tight contest that saw Kenya's Kip Keino and England's Ian Emmerson just miss out on the prestigious positions.

The gathering also saw Prince Tunku Imran take over from Mike Fennell as CGF President, but the big news was that Australia's Gold Coast defeated sole rivals Hambantota of Sri Lanka in the race for the 2018 Commonwealth Games by 43 votes to 27.

With Australia set to host the event for the fifth time in 2018, the CGF are keen to take their blue ribbon competition to new territories, with South Africa thought to be a particular preference after the country successfully staged the FIFA 2010 World Cup.

A successful South African 2022 bid seems even more likely now that Sam is CGF vice-president and he revealed that discussions about a potential bid from either Johannesburg or Durban are currently on the table.

Durban had been widely tipped to launch a bid for the 2020 Olympics and Paralympics but the plan was abandoned after the Government refused to back it.

A Commonwealth Games, however, appears more likely.

"As a continent, we have not given up the dream of hosting these [Commonwealth] Games and when you are inside these international boards, you are afforded the opportunity to better understand the dynamics at play in international sport," said Sam, who is also President of the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC).

"For example, South Africa's Sam Ramsamy is an International Olympic Committee (IOC) member and through his efforts, we were able to host the IOC Session in Durban recently.

"So it is always an advantage to be closer to where the decision making takes place.

"We have always held strong views about the Commonwealth Games and we will continue to do so.


"We will sit down with Government and Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula (pictured above right with FIFA President Sepp Blatter) and consider whether it is something worth doing.

"A bid is something I can now seriously look at as vice president but over and above this, the role of the two vice-presidents is to assist the President in the running of the Federation."

Paena Galane, spokesperson for the South African Sports Minister, added that it is something the country is interested in but that no firm decisions on the matter will be made in the immediate future.

"We welcome all opportunities that will profile the country internationally," said Galane.

"We are talking of a national sports and recreation plan now at the 2011 National Sports Indaba [a major planning consultative conference in Johannesburg organised by Sport and Recreation South Africa later this month] and within that, we will have a bid strategy in terms of all the major sporting events.

"That will guide us."

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


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