For this is an area about which they know little. Glasgow's Labour administration squandered a small fortune in the 1970s to confirm the obvious: the city was incapable of hosting an Olympics. And a would-be Tory MP touted the capital's credentials citing Edinburgh's fine squash courts.
The Glasgow study ultimately may have helped contribute to improved facilities and even sewn seeds for 2014, but the fact that squash is still not an Olympic sport tells more about prevailing Tory grasp on sport than on Edinburgh's sports capabilities.
Boris Johnson, master of the foot-in-mouth, is the latest politician whose knowledge of sport protocols and procedures appears sketchy.
Had the Lord Mayor's Olympic legacy adviser, Neale Coleman, discussed London's aspiration to host the 2022 Commonwealth Games with his boss before airing them on TV? "We haven't had a Commonwealth Games in London for a very, very long time," he said in an ITV interview. "It is a fantastic event. It brings people together in a unique way, and we do have the facilities that would make a bid for that possible. So I think it is something that is in our minds."
This provoked an orgy of excitement by the English media – Sports Minister Hugh Robertson, UK Sport chair Baroness Sue Campbell, and Sport England chief executive Jenny Price had already backed a potential bid.
"We would need broad support, obviously," said Johnson's hench-man. "We'd need the Government to think it is a good idea."
London, as ever, is way ahead of itself. More pertinently, how about Commonwealth Games England (CGE) approval and perhaps that of London's council tax payers?
The CGE determine whether England should bid for the Games. Without their approval there will be no bid. Adam Parker, CGE chief executive, admitted to Herald Sport that his board is discussing the possibility. "We are currently considering our position, asking ourselves whether England should bid and, if so, when is the right time to do it," he said.
"And, if so, which is the right city to be hosting it. These are all completely open questions. No position has been taken. We are going through the rigorous process, considering various factors."
London, should CGE apply to host, can expect no favours. "We would want to approach this in a very dispasionate, detached and cool-headed way and not jump to any conclusions," he added. "There are a number of cities in England that, theoretically, could have the capacity and interest in hosting the Games. We should have an open mind . . . rather than a preconceived conclusion."
The CGE would submit the successful candidate to the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF). Two cities from one country is not an option. A federation spokesman confirmed yesterday: "We do not solicit bids and, at present, there have been no formal delarations of interest. The bidding process has no specified opening date, only a closing one. That is normally six months before the general assembly seven years before the Games in question."
The date of the 2015 general assembly, probably September, will be determined at next year's Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
Since the success of London 2012, the CGF has enjoyed "an increase in public interest across all Common-wealth countries – and a lot more followers and supporters on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube".
So lodging a bid can wait for some two years. Johnson's office is merely testing public reaction. However, I believe London, which last hosted this event in 1934, is now too big to fit the template which the federation looks for.
When Birmingham and Manchester failed with three successive bids to host the Olympics, Britain was told (in 1993) not to come back until their candidate was London. It may seem perverse to suggest that having staged arguably the most successful Olympics ever, London is unsuitable for the Commonwealths, but capital cities usually are.
The 2010 hosts were New Delhi – bigger population than London, but a shoo-in despite anticipated problems with organisation, corruption, hygiene, and infrastructure. Because no third-world country had hosted since Jamaica in 1966.
Since Kingston in 1966, the hosts have been: Edinburgh, Christchurch, Edmonton, Brisbane, Edinburgh, Auckland, Victoria, Kuala Lumpur, Manchester, Melbourne, then Delhi.
Queensland's Gold Coast will follow Glasgow as 2018 hosts. All have used the Games to regenerate and transform.
But hosting 2022 would not transform London. It does not need the Commonwealth Games. Another city, such as Liverpool, Sheffield or Birmingham would benefit far more. They would have far greater legacy impact there.
Assuming the CGF do elect to bid, England's closest rival will be South Africa, almost certainly Johannesburg. South African sport leaders have indicated as much. A bid from Singapore, already Youth Olympic hosts, is also likely.
Having professed Olympic aspirations, a Commonwealth Games needs to be added to their credentials. Their hand would also outrank London.
The white Commonwealth has dominated excessively and, with more than 40% of the Commonwealth territories, Africa is overdue. The CGF would struggle to resist an Johannesburg offer.
Yes, South Africa is top of the world rape league. Add some 50 murders daily and you can't deny violence is a concern. But they hosted the World Cup with minimal incident.
Indeed, should any 2022 rival play the violence card, it is likely to backfire on them.
