The 2010 Commonwealth Games, officially known as the XIX Commonwealth Games and commonly known as Delhi 2010, was an international multi-sport event for the members of the Commonwealth that was held in Delhi, India, from 3 to 14 October 2010.
A total of 4,352 athletes from 71 Commonwealth nations and dependencies competed 272 events across 21 sports making it the largest Commonwealth Games, in terms of participation, to date. It was the largest international multi-sport event staged in India, which had previously hosted the Asian Games in 1951 and 1982. It was the first time that the Commonwealth Games were held in India and the second time it was held in Asia after Kuala Lumpur in 1998.
The events were held across 12 venues. The opening and closing ceremonies were held at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, the main venue of the event. The preparation for the Games received widespread media attention, with criticism directed at the organisers for the slow pace of progress in the work related to the Games, and issues related to security and hygiene. However, the works were completed in time for the Games, and it went ahead as per schedule.
While some nations threatened with boycotts, all members of the Commonwealth participated in the event, with the exception of Fiji, which was suspended from the Commonwealth, and Tokelau, which didn't send a team. Australia led the medal tally with 177 medals including 74 golds. The host nation, India, achieved its best performance ever at the Commonwealth Games, finishing second, winning 101 medals including 38 golds.
Host selection The host city of the 2010 Commonwealth Games was selected on 14 November 2003 during the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) General Assembly in Montego Bay, Jamaica. Delhi, India competed with Hamilton, Canada, for the rights to host the Games. India's bid was under the motto New Frontiers and Friendships. India committed to give US$100,000 to each of the participating associations to train athletes, for a total of $7.2 million, while Canada offered $3.8 million. Delhi had earlier bid for the 1990 and 1994 Commonwealth Games but lost to Auckland and Victoria respectively. The Hamilton bid was Canada's attempt to hold the games for the fifth time. While Delhi had not previously hosted the Commonwealth Games, Vancouver was awarded the hosting rights of the 2010 Winter Olympics earlier in the year, and observers opined that the Olympics might upstage the Commonwealth Games. Delhi won the hosting rights over Hamilton with a 46-22 vote.
+2010 Commonwealth Games bidding resultsCityCountryVotesDelhi India46Hamilton Canada22
Preparation and development Venues
The sporting events were held across 12 venues. CRPF Shooting Range: Shooting Delhi University Stadium: Rugby Sevens Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Range: Shooting Dr. S.P. Mukherjee Swimming Stadium: Aquatics Indira Gandhi Sports Complex: Cycling, Gymnastics, Wrestling Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium: Athletics, Lawn Bowls, Weightlifting Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium: Field hockey R. K. Khanna Tennis Complex: Tennis Siri Fort Sports Complex: Badminton, Squash Talkatora Indoor Stadium: Boxing Thyagaraj Sports Complex: Netball Yamuna Sports Complex: Archery, Table Tennis
Five venues–Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Range, the Siri Fort Sports Complex, the Thyagaraj Sports Complex, the Yamuna Sports Complex, and the Delhi University Stadium, were newly constructed for the Games. The Indira Gandhi Sports Complex, and Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium underwent major renovations or an uplift. The largest venue was the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, with a capacity of 60,000, was the main venue of the event, hosting both the opening and the closing ceremonies.
Twenty training venues were used for the Games, of which one was used for archery; three for aquatics; two for lawn bowls; two for netball; eight for rugby sevens; two for shooting; one for squash; two for table tennis; one for weightlifting, three for wrestling, and two for tennis.
Non-sporting venues
The New Delhi Municipal Council building served as the headquarters of the Commonwealth Games Organizing Committee. The Commonwealth Games Village provided accommodation and training for athletes of the Games. It was spread over an area of , along the east bank of the Yamuna River. It consisted of five zones—the Residential Zone, the International Zone, the Training Area, the Main Dining, and the Operational Zone, and was accessible to para-sport athletes as well. Athletes and accompanying delegates were provided free food and accommodation at the Games Village.
Budget The initial budget for hosting the Games as estimated by the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) in 2003 was . However, the total budget escalated to an estimated , which excluded non-sports-related infrastructure development. The overall cost of hosting the Games was estimated to be , making it the most expensive Commonwealth Games ever.
Infrastructure and facilities
The organisers signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the United Nations Environment Programme to launch the "Green Games" initiative, aimed at adopting environmentally sustainable practices and reducing the carbon footprint during the Games.
A four-lane, -long elevated road, from Lodhi Road to Sarai Kale Khan, linking the Games Village to the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, was constructed, to reduce the travel time between the venues from the usual 40 minutes to six minutes. The Government of India spent over for upgrading public infrastructure in Delhi. This included the construction of new bridges, flyovers, and underpasses, widening and relaying arterial roads, installation of new traffic signs and bus shelters, and beautifying public areas. Dedicated lanes were introduced on selected highways to facilitate faster movement between the sporting venues and the Games village.
Over 3,500 new low-floor buses were introduced by the Delhi Transport Corporation to cater to the transport requirements of the athletes and spectators. Athletes and delegated were provided free transport to and from the sporting venues, and a free sightseeing trip to the Taj Mahal. The Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation launched India's first Hop-On Hop-Off bus service (HOHO Delhi), which were equipped with digital video screens, and trained guides for providing information to the tourists. Radio Frequency Identification was used to tag vehicles in parking lots at the sporting venues to help organise mass parking and increase security.
The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation completed the second phase of the Delhi Metro, extending to , ahead of the Commonwealth Games. The Indira Gandhi International Airport was modernised, and expanded. A new terminal, spread over , was constructed at a cost of $2 billion, and was capable of handling 34 million passengers per annum. A third runway had been added in 2008, which enabled the airport to operate more than 70 flights an hour.
In preparation for the expected influx of English-speaking tourists for the Games, the Government of Delhi implemented a program to teach English for cab drivers, security workers, waiters, porters, and other service staff. To cater to the power requirements, the government increased the power generation capacity, and upgraded the power infrastructure and power distribution networks. A large-scale construction and beautification project was undertaken, that resulted in the demolition of hundreds of temporary homes and shelters. Bamboo screens were erected around city's slums to hide them from the sights of the visitors. Beggars were relocated from the city's streets, and the Delhi High Court set up mobile courts that determined whether each beggar was to be sent back to his/her state of residence, or be permitted to remain in government-shelters.
Queen's baton relay The Queen's Baton Relay was inaugurated at the Buckingham Palace on 29 October 2009. The baton, containing a message from Elizabeth II to the athletes, visited 69 Commonwealth nations before reaching India. It arrived in India on 25 June 2010 through the Wagah Border crossing from Pakistan. The baton was designed by Foley Design studio and was created by Titan in collaboration with Bharat Electronics Limited. The -high baton weighed , and consisted of a triangular section of aluminium twisted into a helix shape and then coated with soils collected from various regions of India. A jewel-encrusted box was used to house the Queen's message, which was laser-engraved onto a 18 carat gold leaf. The baton was illuminated by several LEDs, capable of producing various illuminated designs.
Opening ceremony
The opening ceremony was held at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, the main stadium of the event. It began at 19:00 IST on 3 October. The opening ceremony was directed by Bharat Bala. It featured over 8,000 performers, and lasted for two-and-a-half hours. It was estimated to have costed .
The ceremony was divided into six separate segments, each showcasing the diverse cultures of India. The countdown took place on the large screen in the stadium, and was accompanied by fireworks. The centerpiece of the ceremony was the helium aerostat, which acted as a giant 360° screen for spectators. It began with a showcase of a variety of drummers from all parts of India, accompanied by seven-year-old tabla player. The ceremony showcased a fusion of various classical dances from all parts of India, mehendi decorations, sand paintings, and yoga. The title song was performed by A. R. Rahman, and singer Hariharan sang the welcome song for the Games, titled "Swagatam", along with thousands of school children.
Charles III, the Prince of Wales (representing Elizabeth II as the Head of the Commonwealth) and Pratibha Patil, the President of India, officially declared the Games open. Manmohan Singh, the Prime Minister of India, and three heads of state–Mohamed Nasheed, the President of the Maldives, Marcus Stephen, the President of Nauru, Albert II, the Prince of Monaco, and Anand Satyanand, the Governor General of New Zealand, attended the ceremony.
Closing ceremony
The closing ceremony was held on 14 October 2014 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, and featured Indian and Scottish performers. The Commonwealth Games flag was handed over to representatives of Glasgow, Scotland, which was to host the XX Commonwealth Games in 2014.
Participating teams There were 71 participating Commonwealth Games Associations at the 2010 Commonwealth Games. As Fiji was suspended from the Commonwealth, it was banned from participating in the Games. Rwanda fielded a team in the Commonwealth Games for the first time, after becoming a Commonwealth member in 2009.
Note: The numbers of athletes from each participating association is shown in brackets. Participating Commonwealth countries and territories
(host)
Sports There were 272 medal events in 21 disciplines across 17 sports in the 2010 Commonwealth Games.
Aquatics ()
Cycling () Road Track Gymnastics () Artistic gymnastics Rhythmic gymnastics
Kabaddi was a demonstration sport at the Games. Triathlon was excluded from the Games as there was no suitable location to conduct the swimming stage of the competition. Basketball was excluded, while archery, tennis, and wrestling, which were not contested in the 2006 Commonwealth Games, made a comeback. Despite popular demand, Cricket was not included, as the Board of Control for Cricket in India were not keen on a Twenty20 tournament, and the Games organisers did not want a one day tournament.
Calendar OCOpening ceremony●Event competitions1Gold medal eventsCCClosing ceremony
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