WHATEVER the financial and political shortcomings of the 1986 Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh there cannot be many genuine sports fans in the Capital who do not, with more than a little envy, cast a glance 50 miles west and think of the might-have-beens as Glasgow, the out-and-out favourite, waits for tomorrow's verdict in Colombo, Sri Lanka on the destination of the 2014 celebration of the "Friendly Games".
Though Africa undoubtedly deserves the honour of hosting the Games - and South Africa might well have been the candidate had it not been pre-occupied with the staging of the 2010 FIFA World Cup - Abuja has always been struggling to match the resource
s, both professional and financial, at the command of the Glasgow bid.
In my view it would be a major surprise if sentiment overcame hard logistical reality and Nigeria won the bid but...
Edinburgh, without any government cash, ended up with a poisoned chalice in 1986, with no other Commonwealth city staying the course and instead of a legacy of new and upgraded facilities to take to the end of the century and beyond there were only unpaid bills and bankrupt companies and a once-bitten-twice-shy inheritance which could well be said to be at the root of the current struggle to improve the sporting infrastructure.
The huge difference now of course is the arrival of the Scottish Parliament and the political clout that has given Glasgow, though in fairness Manchester enjoyed at least a £100 million sweetener from the Westminster Government for the 2002 Games.
But what many forget is that Edinburgh 1986, despite the boycott by many African and Caribbean countries, did provide some superb competition.
It marked for example the arrival of Liz McColgan as an international star, the former wee Lizzie Lynch from Dundee, triumphing in the 10,000 metres in front of her home crowd to do what Lachie Stewart had done for Scotland at Meadowbank in the far more memorable 1970 Games.
Sadly, at this point in time there are no would-be Lachie Stewarts in prospect though there are still seven years to go.
The best is probably US-based St Andrews steeplechaser Andrew Lemoncello who, however, would be the first to admit that his international appearances to date have left something to be desired as his failure to make the final in the World Championships in Osaka in August bears testimony, and Glasgow teenager Beth Potter, already setting some startling 1500 and 3000m times.
But the rise and rise of African distance running means that the task facing the Lachie Stewarts and Liz McColgans of tomorrow is far greater than for them. Paula Radcliffe may have beaten her great Ethiopian rival Gete Wami in the New York Marathon last Sunday but who would bet against Africans dominating both men's and women's distance events in 2014 regardless of the venue?
What of the other main events? Where are the Edinburgh sprinters for example, not just to strive vainly to follow Allan Wells to Olympic glory but even to match the bronze medal of the Scottish 4 x 100m quartet in 1986, which included the Capital's own Elliot Bunney and Jamie Henderson, both former European junior champions?
If Glasgow does win the vote tomorrow money will undoubtedly be pumped into coaching and preparation for Scottish Athletics is acutely aware that nothing could be more embarrassing for the host nation than a 2014 Games where the flagship sport of track and field failed to win medals.
While haggis hurling is not in the Games it may be that resources should be concentrated on events wherein lie the best chance of medal success.
Given the durability of hammer-throwers Edinburgh's Shirley Webb and Susan McKelvie could well still be around seven years from now and if Shirley can recover her best form and health then she is fully capable of doing a Lorraine Shaw (who won the hammer for England in 2002) and striking gold on home soil, while Susan is now consistently over 60 metres and could be knocking on the door for a podium place.
Pitreavie's Eilidh Child is another in a technical event, (where the developing countries are often at a disadvantage) who, if she can avoid long-term injury and make only modest improvements in the next few years to follow her massive 2007 season, could be a 400m hurdles medallist. Only 20, she certainly has time on her side if she can maintain her dedication.
That is probably the key - can athletics attract the talent, which despite the growing obesity in this country, I am convinced is still there - and retain and nurture it with sufficient innovation and expertise?
Plenty scope for lesser lights to rise to prominence
AWAY from the bright lights of the swimming pool and the athletics track, badminton in Scotland is just one of several sports which seems to be going the right way to produce the goods should the country win the bid for 2014.
The sport has just picked an international senior team the oldest of whom is hardly over 20 and 18-year-old new cap Jillie Cooper from Edinburgh and Paul Van Rietveld, who played in the recent World Juniors in the Far East, could well be still around by 2014.
Lawn bowls has produced a host of winners for Scotland, from Willie Wood to Alex Marshall. And while even such legends in the game may be unable to utilise the longevity that the game allows - Wood is 69 and Marshall faces the big 40 - in Glasgow in seven years' time, this popular sport has plenty to offer in shape of players from the Lothians such as David Peacock, Billy Mellors, Neil Spiers, Grant Logan and Wayne Hogg.
The Capital can also lend Glasgow plenty medal potential in the field of target shooting. Susan Jackson, 34, won gold in Melbourne last year while partnering Aberdeen Bon Accord's Sheena Sharp, who went on to net a further gold. Jackson is a member of the Watsonians club, itself responsible for the development of young stars Matthew Thomson, 21 and Nikki Sammels, 18. Coaches are of the highest calibre, too, in the shape of former Games competitors Donald McIntosh and Sinclair Bruce.
Judo, back on the menu for Glasgow, is a sport where Scotland will be itching to get back into the fray, having been denied a chance to repeat the wonderful golden haul in Manchester because the sport has not been included since.
Basketball is another where frustration is severe, given that the Scottish men finished a creditable sixth in Melbourne last year only to have all senior team funding withdrawn because Delhi in 2010 have not included it.
Though the official Scottish Basketball position is to toe the party line and support the Glasgow Bid in the hope of some trade-off Commonwealth tournament played in conjunction with the 2014 Games, they must be desperately counting on the success of a special FIBA presentation to the Commonwealth Federation in Sri Lanka this week calling on basketball to be added to the list of obligatory core sports.
They would only be human if there were not some in Scottish basketball who secretly hope for an Abuja victory as basketball, one of Nigeria's strongest and most popular sports, is very much part of their bid.
