The Evaluation Commission of the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) came to Glasgow this month and spent five days examining Scotland’s Bid, hearing presentations from experts and seeing at first hand the venues and facilities Glasgow has to offer.

The Commission will produce a technical report on their findings, which will be published in September, two months before the CGF vote on whether Scotland or Nigeria is to host the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

The Evaluation Commission began their tour by visiting the site for the proposed National Hockey Centre, a brand new facility which would be built on Glasgow Green, in the heart of the city. A short distance from the Athletes’ Village, the National Hockey Centre would leave a substantial legacy for the community as well as providing a world-class elite facility for the Commonwealth Games.

At Celtic Park the Commission viewed the facilities which would be available for the Opening Ceremony of the Games. Due to its proximity to the Village, athletes and officials will be able to walk from their accommodation to the Ceremony, avoiding a long wait outside the stadium and allowing more athletes to participate.

Members of the Bid Team and the Evaluation Commission then stopped to view plans of the Athletes’ Village – from fourteen stories above ground.

Swimming facilities were next on the agenda, with the group viewing the pool at Tollcross in Glasgow; another Commonwealth Games site which would undergo substantial redevelopment should Scotland win the Bid.

At Hampden, Scotland’s National Stadium, the Evaluation Commission enjoyed lunch as well as seeing first-hand the plans to transform the arena for track and field events. 
Rugby 7s would be held at Ibrox Stadium, home of the famous Glasgow Rangers FC, in Govan in Glasgow, where the group spent time examining the facilities on offer for the athletes.

At the end of their tour the Evaluation Commission took in the current facilities available at the SECC, Europe’s busiest conference venue, and heard about plans for an amazing new National Entertainments Arena designed by world-renowned architect Sir Norman Foster. The NEA would host gymnastics and netball during the 2014 Games and with 12,500 seats be one of the largest indoor venues in the UK. 

After over thirty hours of technical presentations and discussions, the Evaluation Commission held a closing Press Conference giving their views on the Glasgow 2014 Bid and the City itself before leaving Scotland.

Read the comments of John Tierney, Chairman of the Evaluation Commission here.