The Welsh capital city is hoping to enlist the support of the South Wales region for a bid that could bring sporting events to Cardiff, Newport and Swansea.

 

Nigel Howells, the Cardiff Councillor who is responsible for Sport, Leisure and Culture, said: "It is achieveable.

 

"We should go for it."

 

Howells said the idea of bidding for the Commonwealth Games had grown out of discussions about how to position Cardiff as a major sporting capital.

 

He said that as Glasgow is hosting the 2014 Games, the next time a British city could realistically hope to stage the four-yearly competition would be in 2022.

 

Birmingham is also considering a bid.

 

Howells said "We need to look at the requirements of the Commonwealth Games, what facilities we need, what facilities have we got and what can be adapted and obviously where can all the funding come from.

 

"We can then see what deficiencies we have, how we can overcome them, and how we can deliver a successful Games.

 

"Wales has a proud history at the Commonwealth Games.

 

"We hosted it in 1958 and we're one of only six countries that have been in every Games since 1930."

 

A total of 35 countries and 1,130 athletes competed in 1958.

 

The Cardiff Games introduced the Queen's Baton Relay, which has been conducted as a prelude to every British Empire and Commonwealth Games ever since.

 

Among the highlights was Australia's Herb Elliott completing the double by winning gold medals in the 880 yards and one mile.

 

Howells said: "We are 13 years away now from 2022.

 

"The longer you have in this process, the better.

 

"So, the sooner we start, the better."

 

Among the facilities he highlighted were the Millennium Stadium (pictured), Newport's cycling velodrome and facilities in Swansea like the Liberty Stadium.

 

Howell said: "If you look at what Glasgow are doing, they are using a lot of the existing stadia.

 

"There's not a lot of new facilities."

 

Howells has written to Welsh Heritage Minister Alun Ffred Jones to set up a meeting to take the plans forward.

 

A number of cities have already declared an interest in bidding for the 2018 Commonwealth Games, including the Nigerian capital Abuja, beaten by Glasgow for 2014.

 

Others interested include Auckland in New Zealand, Durban in South Africa, the Gold Coast in Australia and Nairobi in Kenya.