JERSEY are planning to host a sports conference featuring UK medalists following news that Halifax, who are bidding for the 2014 Commonwealth Games, will grant $700,000 to share between the 71 Commonwealth nations and territories.

Halifax in Nova Scotia, Canada are competing against Glasgow and Abuja, Nigeria for the chance to host the Games and have therefore set up a Commonwealth Games Association Partner Programme to aid sport development throughout the Commonwealth.

As part of this each of the 71 Commonwealth nations and territories will receive a share of the $700,000 grant, which equates to around £5,000.

Jersey’s Commonwealth Games Association secretary, Alan Cross, said: ‘We are in the process of applying for this US$10,000 grant and although it’s not a great sum of money the grant is clearly extremely useful to us.

‘It will help us provide a programme this year which will support the coaches and athletes of all our member sports in preparation for the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi.

‘We currently have tentative plans to put the money towards celebrating the 50th anniversary of the CGA in October by hosting a full day’s sports conference.

All 14 member sports of our association would be involved and managers, officials and all the athletes that we identify as possible attendees of the next Games in Delhi 2010 would be invited.

‘It would be a major event and would feature prominent speakers and medalists from the UK.’ With details of Abuja’s plans yet to be aired, Cross confirmed that Glasgow appear to be the front runners to host the Games.

However, there is plenty of time for that to change with the Commonwealth Games Federation not due to award the 2014 event to a host until 9 November, 2007.