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London 'will not bid' for 2022 Commonwealths

The Mayor of London says that the capital is unlikely to bid to host the 2022 edition of the Commonwealth Games.

London is unlikely to make a bid to become the host city for the 2022 Commonwealth Games, according to mayor Sadiq Khan.

The South African city of Durban had been due to stage the event but was forced to pull out this week after failing to meet the criteria needed to serve as a host city.

Liverpool, Manchester and Birmingham have since expressed an interest in taking on the hosting duties but London, which hosted the Olympics in 2012, is unlikely to throw its hat into the ring.

"No-one has approached me but the key thing is to make sure the sums add up," Khan told the Evening Standard. "What I don't want to do is use taxpayers' money to subsidise an event unless there's a good business case and unless there's Government support. I'm not sure we'd be bidding as such for it.

"I've got to be straight to Londoners and say no-one has approached me about it and, for me, the key is we need to make sure the sums add up for us and there's a really good reason for us to do it.

"Of course, if someone approaches us we'll have a look at it. Similarly if the Government approaches us we'll have a look at it. But unless the Government chips in I'm not sure how it stacks up for us."

Australia's Gold Coast will host the next edition of the Commonwealths in 2018.

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Neil Wilkes
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Sunlight bursts through the stadium prior to kick off during the NFL game between Kansas City Chiefs and Detroit Lions at Wembley Stadium on November 01, 2015 in London, England.
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