"Glasgow is to bid to host the 2014 Commonwealth Games with the full support of the Executive.
The bid is going ahead following a positive report from a Bid Assessment Group, chaired by David Mackay, former chairman of the Scottish Rugby Union, and a feasibility study of Glasgow's proposals by consultants.
Speaking at Glasgow's Hampden Park, one of the proposed Games venues, First Minister Jack McConnell said: "The Commonwealth Games has the potential to change our country. Taking the bold step to bring one of the largest events in the world to Scotland shows the scale of our ambition as a nation and the confidence that we have in our biggest city.
"I hope this decision will inspire thousands of Scots to take up the challenge of sport. We want future generations to have the facilities, the desire and the confidence to make the most of themselves. And we will showcase modern Scotland to billions of people.
"This is the right decision to make. Glasgow's bid is viable, it is winable [sic] and it will leave a lasting legacy across all of Scotland. The competition to host the Games may well be fierce, but with the support of everyone in Scotland, this is a race that we can win."
What is it with politicians and big sporting events? Did the First Minister not get his fingers sufficiently burned with the fiasco of the joint Scottish-Irish bid for the European Football championships? Do Bob Maxwell and the Edinburgh Commonwealth Games not ring a warning bell?
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