The Greater London Authority made clear their intention to host the event earlier this year with their plan being to use the facilities in place for London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics to stage the competition.

Johnson says that he is hopeful that the city can secure the event but claimed that any decision to bid must come from Commonwealth Games England (CGE) as the country's governing body.

"I think it would be a great thing if the Commonwealth Games came to this city in 2022," said Johnson during the Mayor's Question Time at City Hall today.

"It would be wonderful for London and I would support such a bid.

"We have all the facilities in place from the Olympic and Paralympic Games and it would be another great supporting festival for the city.

"But it is up to Commonwealth Games England to submit a bid, not us."


Johnson is one of a number of high-profile supporters of a potential bid with Culture Secretary Maria Miller, Sports Minister Hugh Robertson and Sport England chief executive Jennie Price having all publically backed the idea.

The CGE have described the public support as "a positive initiative" but that their primary focus is on preparing for Glasgow 2014 while their Board assesses "the merits of an English bid" for the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

Following Glasgow 2014, the Gold Coast in Australia will stage the next edition of the Commonwealth Games in 2018.

The only previous occasions on which England has held the Games they did not face a competitive bid process.

London were awarded them in 1934 - when they were still known as the British Empire Games - because the original choice, Johannesburg, was stripped of the event amid concerns of concerns about the way South Africa would treat black and Asian athletes.

Paula Radcliffe won the gold medal in the 5,000 metres on the last occasion the Commonwealth Games were staged in England, at Manchester in 2002

And when Manchester was awarded the Games for 2002 at the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) General Assembly in Bermuda in 1995, no-one had bid against them.

Although the official Candidature Procedure for 2022 has not yet been drawn up by the CGF, it is understood that the deadline for Commonwealth Games Associations and candidate cities to notify CGF of intention to bid will be due either in March or April 2014.

The candidates will then be expected to participate in the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games Observers Programme while bids are to be officially lodged to the CGF by May 2015.

Visits from the CGF Evaluation Commission will then follow before a host is elected by the Commonwealth Games Associations at the CGF General Assembly at the end of 2015.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


Related stories
April 2012: Exclusive - Culture Secretary supports plans for London 2022 Commonwealth Games bid
March 2013: London interest in 2022 Commonwealth Games "positive initiative" but England refuse to commit to bid
March 2013: Exclusive - Cardiff will not alter plans to bid for 2026 Commonwealth Games because of London, they claim
March 2013: London set to bid for 2022 Commonwealth Games to capitalise on Olympic facilities
December 2012: Exclusive - Support growing for London 2022 Commonwealth Games bid