The Indonesian capital of Jakarta is on track to be named as the surrogate host city for the 2018 Asian Games, according to various media reports coming from the country. 

The Vietnamese city of Hanoi was originally selected as the host by the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) until the government withdrew from the Games in April citing concerns over financial viability and a lack of preparation.

New Delhi was originally considering a bid to host the Games as a replacement for Hanoi but missed a deadline set by the OCA to enter their bid. Various Asian media organisations are now reporting the OCA has settled on Jakarta as the best replacement for Hanoi following inspections of the city by honorary vice president Wei Jizhong. 

Jizhong has reportedly said that Jarkata’s infrastructure already meets the set requirements and is almost ready to host the Games but may co-host the event with the city of Palembang. 

This is despite previous claims by the Jakarta Deputy Governor, Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, that the city would require the construction of mass and light rapid transit systems, loop lines for electric trains, six toll roads and improvements to the city’s public bus network before it will be ready to host the games.

However, Jakarta already has a range of sporting venues built in the city and surrounding regions meaning only a limited amount of large scale construction work would be required to hold the event.

Indonesian Olympic Committee chairperson Rita Subowo was joined by Jizhong on the inspection of the country’s potential Games facilities which included Gelora Bandung Lautan Api stadium which could be used for the football tournament. 

Subowo said that other cities in the West Java and Depok regions of the country would be needed in order to host the Games but she remained optimistic about Indonesia’s potential to host the event and told reporters that Jakarta is close to meeting the criteria set in order to host the Games.

HOST CITY asked the OCA for more details about the bidding process and other candidates to host the Games, but the organisation declined to comment.

According to Glasgow 2014, 96% of tickets for the Games were sold and a 91% satisfaction rate was recorded from Games spectators who watched on as 142 Commonwealth records and nine world records were broken over 261 events in 18 sports.

Organisers also released figures demonstrating the social media buzz around the event with 3.5million public mentions of the Games, 500,000 social media followers and 450,000 downloads of the Games app.

A number of the athletes who took part in the Games have also praised the event. Talking to HOST CITY at Ibrox stadium, Trinidad and Tobago rugby sevens star David Gokool said: “Glasgow is like my home now, I’m comfortable, everything is fine and I love the people. Everything is comfortable, I can’t complain at all.”

Gokool also praised the high turnout at the rugby sevens tournament and the atmosphere inside Ibrox stadium, saying: “I’m very happy to be playing in front of such a loud crowd, it’s a big thing for me. I love the crowd, they make me feel energised.”

Commonwealth Games Scotland Chairman, Michael Cavanagh, praised the way in which the Organising Committee was able to fill every venue whilst Glasgow 2014 Chief Executive, David Grevemberg, said: “The Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games has made history as the best Commonwealth Games ever, setting a new Gold Standard for the Commonwealth sports movement, new benchmarks for event delivery and receiving universal accolades for a proud Host City and its people for the joyous enthusiasm with which they embraced athletes and visitors during Scotland’s biggest-ever sporting and cultural festival.”

Now the Games has come to close organisers will be focusing on the legacy of the Games. “The Games may be over, but the story of the Games most certainly is not,” said Cabinet Secretary for Commonwealth Games and Sport Shona. “We must continue to work to ensure that a lasting legacy is created from the Games and is something all of Scotland benefits from.”

The organising committee has informed the IOC of possible revisions to the locations of some of the Games venues and organisers are considering moving certain venues into locations in the Greater Tokyo area, some as far as an hour’s drive from the city centre.

The original Tokyo bid promised a compact Games with the majority of the venues located within a five mile radius of the Olympic village, far more condensed than many recent Games. Only the shooting, modern pentathlon and football events were originally planned to be held outside of the five mile Olympic village zone.

The new plans could see some venues being moved out as far away as the city of Saitama which could result in some considerable transportation headaches. However, organisers have insisted that the revised plans would be made possible with improved transport infrastructure whilst still cutting costs. The IOC has previously praised Tokyo's venue layout and have been impressed by the city's progress.

The cost of the Games has been a cause of contention amongst Tokyo’s citizens with protests being held against the new 80,000 seated stadium which will replace the current National Stadium.

Tokyo governor Yoichi Masuzoe has had to defend the new plans and told a press conference at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan that he has a responsibility to Tokyo taxpayers.

“How can I persuade the taxpayers to pay this kind of money? We are working with the IOC and the various sports federations to make the Games sustainable. Legacy is very important. If you abolish everything after the Games who can accept that?” said Masuzoe. 

The scale of Rio 2016’s infrastructure projects is immense and partnership with experienced suppliers from London 2012 will be crucial for success – but budgets must be carefully monitored. 

This was the message given by Rio 2016’s head of procurement, Fernando Cotrim, in an exclusive interview with HOST CITY at the South American Sport Events Seminar, organised by UK Trade and Investment during the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

“If you consider that you have the greatest combination of needs in terms of materials and services in one event, you can imagine the size of challenge,” Cotrim told HOST CITY. “We are looking for around 2,500 suppliers to be in place for 2016.”

Cotrim’s major area of focus is temporary construction. “The hardest part is to get the right suppliers at the right time and to build a temporary and sustainable supply chain, he said.

“That’s the challenge – the temporary part is the most important.”

London 2012 has set the template of a mega event where the majority of infrastructure is temporary. “We are taking a similar approach. Probably around 60 per cent of constructions will be temporary.”

Not only is the concept similar to London 2012; Rio 2016 is targeting the same companies. “We will use similar suppliers. The ideal for us is to bring the same suppliers but they come to Brazil, partner with local companies and help our country to grow in this business.”

Cotrim cited Arena Group, who provided temporary venues for London 2012 and Glasgow 2014, as an example of a company with expertise in this area. Other notable suppliers include ES Global, also present at the UKTI event.

Asked what his biggest concern was, Cotrim replied “Always to be monitoring – to have the best suppliers and to stay on budget. That’s a real concern. What we’ve learned from other Games is that if you don’t manage the budget you can go to infinity.

“So you have to be very cautious about the budget. We are always seeking innovative solutions, but at the same time low cost and sustainable.”

Rio 2016 has been under fire for severe delays to its construction projects, particularly the Deodoro Park cluster of venues. Cotrim says the tide of opinion is changing in the wake of a largely successful FIFA World Cup. 

“What people saw, what the media saw in the World Cup changed this mindset. Deodoro was a concern, but the suppliers are starting to work and so I think this mindset has changed a little bit. The last comment from the IOC is that we have got back on track and we are in a good shape.”

However, the IOC is still keeping a very watchful eye on Rio 2016 projects. IOC Vice President Craig Reedie confirmed to HOST CITY that the IOC’s head of Olympic Games, Gilbert Felli, will be focused 100 per cent on ensuring a successful Games in 2016.

The council claim the ‘Glasgow Legacy Story’ has already made impacts on Glasgow’s economy and infrastructure as well as boosting sports participation in the city. 550 jobs have been created directly through the Games and 4,500 young people have been put into work or training due to Games related investment, according to the council.

The development of Glasgow’s East End was also highlighted by the council and the 700 houses and flats that have been built as part of it as well as the £700 million invested in the city’s transport infrastructure. 

As well as the effects on the local economy the Games have brought with them a participation legacy to Glasgow. The council boasts an 130% increase in cycling in the last 5 years thanks to a £10 million spend on 13.6km of walking and cycle networks as well as a city-wide mass cycle hire scheme. 

"The Games have undoubtedly seen a huge surge in Glaswegians taking part in sport and we're fortunate to have some outstanding clubs, offering a wide range of sports and activities for all ages and abilities,” said Councillor Gordon Matheson, Leader of Glasgow City Council.

"To further build on this success, we have invested £198 million in sports facilities across the city including those currently serving as Games venues since 2009. During this time, attendances across all of Glasgow Life's sports facilities have surged to 6.6 million.”

"We want to host the best ever Games, but I've always said we will have failed if we don't leave a lasting legacy for Glaswegians."

Cho Yang-ho, chairman and CEO of South Korean conglomerate Hanjin Group and airline Korean Air, led PyeongChang’s bid for the 2018 Games and will be appointed as chief organiser at a general congress of the organising committee in the coming days.

POCOG appointed their vice-president Kim Jung-haeng as an interim leader following Jin-sun’s unexpected departure but have quickly found a new successor.

Yang-ho is the current president of the Korea Table Tennis Association and vice president of the Asian Table Tennis Union but his appointment has been criticised by some because of his lack of experience in sports administration.

Yang-ho said in a statement: “Now that I've agreed to take on the job as the chief organizer, I will dedicate myself to ensure a successful Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, relying on my experience as the top bid official."

"Many people in and outside Korea recommended that I take this position and I also wanted to keep the promise I'd made with the International Olympic Committee to work for a successful Olympics here."

Yang-ho will come into the job at a troubled point for the Games with results from an investigation by the South Korean Board of Audit and Inspection into the financing and management of the Games still pending. 

President Blatter, the head of world football’s governing body FIFA, will deliver a formal address to Soccerex delegates on Monday 8th September, the organisers have confirmed. This will be Blatter’s ninth Soccerex appearance over the past 19 years. 

His appearance at Soccerex Global Convention comes at a significant time in relation to the investigation by FIFA prosecutor Michael Garcia into the bidding process for the Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cups, with the investigatory chamber of the FIFA Ethics Committee recently stating that “we expect to deliver our report to the adjudicatory chamber by the first week of September 2014”. 

In a one-to-one interview with Jeff Powell of the Daily Mail, Blatter will also address the latest issues affecting the global game and looking back on a fantastic FIFA World Cup in Brazil.

“FIFA and their President have always been enthusiastic supporters of Soccerex, but welcoming President Blatter to another event is always a huge honour for me,” said Soccerex CEO Duncan Revie. 

“The interview is set to be one of the most important sessions in the history of Soccerex and will command a huge media presence all over the world.”

The Soccerex Global Convention kicks off with the Football Festival on 6-7th September, with the conference starting on Monday 8th September. A packed international exhibition and a programme of networking and social events complete the schedule for the world leading football business event.

For more information about Soccerex please visit http://www.soccerex.com/global or call +44 (0)20 8987 5522 or email enquiry@soccerex.com

The new stadium in Samara is set to have a capacity of 45,000 and will become the home of local club side Krylia Sovetov following the 2018 World Cup. Construction work on the stadium is expected to be completed in summer 2017 and will be linked to the city and wider region with new local infrastructure development. 

Also in attendance at the ceremony was sports minister Vitaly Mutko. “All technical and administrative issues have been resolved and today we are starting to build the stadium” he said. “There are still key questions concerning the city's development… but first and foremost is the sporting infrastructure that will be built here. Samara is football's capital on the Volga. We are looking forward to all the necessary conditions being created for footballers and teams, as well as for fans to be welcomed.”

Three of the planned 12 World Cup stadiums are currently completed, with two of them requiring reconfiguration in order to host football games. Whilst the Russian Government is insisting that all the stadiums will be completed on time, previous delays have raised alarm.

Organizing committee head Alexei Sorokin told the Associated Press: ''That is a normal working concern. That does not mean we are lying down calmly and waiting for things to happen. It suggests that we are ... attentive to it.''

Whilst some of Russia’s World Cup plans appear to be on time and on budget, delays and rising building material costs are a cause for concern. The St. Petersburg stadium, for example, was due for completion in 2008 but is now unlikely to open before 2016 and at a hugely inflated cost of $1.1 billion.

There have also been a number of concerns over infrastructure spending and logistical challenges associated with holding the World Cup in Russia but officials have maintained that these issues can be resolved on time.

FIFA have said the design work for all the other stadiums is now completed and construction work is expected to begin this autumn. 

Following the unexpected resignation of PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Organising Committee chief Jin-sun, the committee have appointed one of their six vice-presidents, Jung-haeng, to take charge in the interim. Jung-haeng will be briefed on the progress of the Games preparations on Thursday and will head the organisation until a permanent replacement can be found.

Kim Jin-sun left his post on Monday citing the need for new leadership. It was revealed yesterday that this had followed an investigation by the South Korean Board of Audit and Inspection into the financing and management of the Games, leading to speculation in the South Korean media that Jim-sun’s departure was not voluntary.

Jin-sun resigned in a speech to POCOG, saying: “PyeongChang 2018 is at a turning point for the latter half of its Games preparation, which requires more detailed planning and execution. At this critical juncture, I believe that PyeongChang 2018 needs new leadership and a stronger system that will effectively carry out various Games-related projects. And this is why I decided to resign as President of POCOG.”

Jin-sun was head of PyeongChang's bidding committee on two failed bids for the 2010 and 2014 Winter Olympics and his position as chief of the 2018 Games was not meant to expire until October 2015

This all follows a troubled few months for the PyeongChang Games which have faced a slew of construction and sponsorship problems as well as the resignation of vice president and secretary general of the organising committee, Moon Dong-hoo, due to health concerns.

In May the IOC urged PyeongChang to focus on venue construction, test events, marketing and Games services due to tight timeframes. Gunilla Lindberg, chair of the IOC coordination commission, said: “The 2018 Games are on the right track but it is clear that much work remains.”

Following the resignation of Kim Jin-sun the IOC released a statement saying: "We have full confidence that these activities will be delivered by the POCOG team in a timely manner and using their existing processes. We continue to work closely with them on their preparations for the Games."

The South African city of Durban and the Canadian city of Edmonton are the only two cities in contention for the 2022 edition of the Games after a series of cancelled bids. 

The president of the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) Gideon Sam presented the bid alongside chief executive Tubby Reddy, the head of sport for the City of Durban Vuzi Mazibuko and South Africa’s minister of sport Fikile Mbalula. 

The Durban presentation highlighted the city’s previous hosting successes including the football, rugby and cricket world cups and emphasised Durban’s current sporting facilities, its tourist attractions and the city’s infrastructure capabilities. 

A video was screened alongside the presentation and referenced the late Nelson Mandela and his beliefs about the power of sport. It ended by saying: “It’s Africa’s turn to host its sons and daughters for the first time on home soil… in the city where Nelson Mandela chose to cast his first vote. Let Durban be the first African city to host the Commonwealth Games,”

Minister Mbalula vowed his support for the bid and guaranteed the country’s commitment to the Games and called upon the federation to award Africa its first ever Commonwealth Games. “We guarantee the government will play its part in hosting the most successful sporting events in South Africa,” said Mbalula. “The Commonwealth Games to us are important Games in terms of what we seek to achieve collectively over the years. It’s our turn as the African continent.”

Meanwhile, Edmonton’s bid was introduced by Commonwealth Games Canada president Andrew Pipe before chairman of the 2022 bid, Reg Milley, made the presentation. Milley focused his address around learning from the upcoming Games in Glasgow. “We’re in Glasgow to listen. We’re here to learn,” said Milley.

Durban’s bid presentation has already been highly praised by sections of the South African media but the final vote will not be cast until September 2015 when the Commonwealth Games Federation meets in Auckland, New Zealand.

CEO of Glasgow 2014 and incoming CEO of the Commonwealth Games Federation, David Grevemberg will be speaking at the HOST CITY: BID TO WIN conference. To find out more, register for HOST CITY: BID TO WIN on 28th October.