By David Gold

kip keino_01-11-11November 1 - Kenyan running legend Kip Keino (pictured) has claimed that the race between Hambantota and the Gold Coast to host the 2018 Commonwealth Games will come down to their final presentations in St Kitts and Nevis next week.


As a member of the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF), Keino will be one of those making the decision on November 11 and he believes that the strength of the bids will become apparent in the final moments of the respective campaigns.

"It depends in the end on the presentation," he told insidethegames at the Laureus Sport for Good Global Summit in London.

"We have seen the facilities, at the moment I cannot say who is [best] until the last minute."

Though the double Olympic gold medallist would not be drawn on the relative strengths of the bids, he insisted that a primary concern was to avoid a repeat of what happened in India last year, where the build up to the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi was marred by the collapse of a bridge and a series of safety concerns as organisers rushed to get everything ready in time. 

"We don't want a repeat of what happened in India," he said.

"We need a fair Games, for competitors and the spectators.

Keino was also keen to put aside any concerns about the security situation in Sri Lanka, where a civil war raged until 2009, after human rights issues were raised by Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard, much to the anger of the Hambantota bid team.

"We don't want to know what happened in that country, we want to know that it will be a fair Games," he said.

"The Games are the tools to unite the world."

Mahinda Rajapaksa_addresses_Commonwealth_Summit_sports_meeting_October_29_2011Last weekend the battle between the Gold Coast and Hambantota was turned up a notch when Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa (pictured) was alleged to have broken an agreement with Gillard not to promote either of their bids during a special breakfast organised by the CGF in Perth.

Keino added that any of the countries of the Commonwealth could host the Games, and that ultimately it was about which country would promote the values of fair play.

"What we want are facilities, proper management, security and fair play for the Games," said Keino, who is standing for CGF vice-president in St Kitts.

"We want to see proper transparency and commitment, unity and friendship."

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