The English city replaced Durban as host for the upcoming Commonwealth Games in 2017, after the South African city was stripped of the multi-sport event having failed to sign the hosting contract and meet a series of financial deadlines.

Speaking to insidethegames at a training camp organised under the Gather, Adjust, Prepare, Sustain (GAPS) programme, Dame Louise said that those taking part at the Commonwealth Games owed a debt of gratitude to Birmingham 2022.

"Birmingham have left nothing to chance on this one," the GCF leader commented.

"They have gone for broke here, and with what they've done with COVID and with all the workforce issues and things like that, what they've pulled off is second to none.

"We should all take our hats off to them and thank them very much for just keeping to the vision of what we want to do - deliver a Games for everybody in the Commonwealth, the athletes, the parents, the spectators, those that have never done sport before to give them this experience of what it's like when you come together as a family, because that's what we do in the Commonwealth.

"We are one big family.

"We all speak the same language, so there's no dubiety, everybody knows one another.

"And in Villages and dining rooms etcetera, everybody's mixed, and that's what it's all about."

Nineteen sports and eight Para sports feature on the programme for Birmingham 2022, which is set to begin with an Opening Ceremony at the redeveloped and expanded Alexander Stadium on July 28.

With athletes across the Commonwealth forced to compete in front of limited crowds in recent years due to COVID-19 pandemic, notably at the delayed Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Paralympics, Dame Louise is particularly excited at the return of full stadiums.

"This is the first time in just over two years that we are coming together with full stadia and the noise that that's going to bring, and honestly the hairs on the back of my neck are standing up just now just even thinking about it," she exclaimed.

"Those athletes are going to be blown away.

"The start will be the Opening Ceremony - when you hear that stadium absolutely packed with people yelling, that's it."

New Zealand's Chef de Mission Nigel Avery has expressed concern about the COVID-19 protocol in place at the Games due to fears of athletes spreading the virus, but Dame Louise is confident that the measures in place will help to limit any spread.

"We're working with all the CGAs [Commonwealth Games Associations], we're working through our COVID programme, we've all got the playbook, we all know what we're all doing," the CGF President said.

"We've set the standard that athletes have to be tested before they come in, tested when they get here and tested every seven days to make sure they stay clean, and it's to make sure that we can have a clean Games.

"The earlier that we catch it, it stops it spreading within the Village.

"If we can get through the first seven days, after that we're in the last seven to go, so if anything happens then you're likely to not have as many people, but that's why we are testing.

"All our countries, all our International Federations have backed this to the hilt.

"We want to make sure our athletes can come here and enjoy these Games.

"And yes we as spectators have to follow protocol, so when I'm with any athletes going into a Village, I wear a mask.

"It's more for their protection than mine, so that's how we're doing it."

While Dame Louise said she does not know which high-profile politicians plan to attend the Opening Ceremony, the CGF President is expecting a spectacular start to the Games.

"I have deliberately stayed out of who is attending and who is in the actual cast, because then I can't let anything away," Dame Louise said.

"All I know is what I have to do, but I do know that I've had a preview of the proposal and what the whole theme is going to be, and it will be superb."

She also pointed out several of the landmarks at Birmingham 2022 which she believes will make the Commonwealth Games one for all participants to look forward to.

"We've got more medals for women than men in this one, these will be the first sustainable Games, and we've seen the GAPS sport programme," Dame Louise said.

"We've never had anything like that before, and everybody is excited, and everybody wants to be in the Games."

Birmingham is the first English city to host the Commonwealth Games since Manchester in 2002, with the event due to run until August 8.