After spending four days on the Gold Coast in Australia, the Commonwealth Games Federation Evaluation Commission visits the second city bidding for the 2018 Commonwealth Games, Sri Lanka’s Hambantota, this week.

The Commission, chaired by Scotland’s Mrs Louise Martin, arrived in Colombo early yesterday, and begins its formal tasks today, concluding its visit on Thursday, June 30.

Other members of the Commission are Mr Gideon Sam, President South Africa Sports Confederation and National Olympic Committee, Mr Erskine Simmons, Secretary General Barbados Olympic Committee, Mr Andrew Ryan, Executive Director, ASOIF, and Mr Mike Hooper, CGF CEO.

Their report will be published no later than a month before the CGF’s General Assembly in November 2011.

The Commission will conduct meetings in Colombo as well as visiting Hambantota on Tuesday to see the bid city and the proposed sites.

The Evaluation Commission is charged with the responsibility to produce a technical report that examines whether a city is able to stage the Games, set against Games requirements,

“Our job is to look at the plans that the bid city has to run the Games from every aspect,” Mrs Martin said.

“We do not come down with a specific recommendation as to who should be awarded the Games as that is not our job. It is the 71 nations and territories that make up the Federation that will decide which city is awarded the 2018 Games.

The nations meet at the CGF General Assembly in St Kitts and Nevis on November 11 to decide whether the athletes of the Commonwealth head to the Gold Coast or Hambantota in 2018.

"The Gold Coast impressed us with what they have on offer, and we are confident that Hambantota has also put together a very comprehensive bid,” Mrs Martin said.

“There is not doubt that both bid committees are highly motivated to be successful in securing the right to host the 2018 Commonwealth Games.”