Commonwealth Games – Nobody’s baby?

Article posted by Coliseum, December 6^th, 2023

Image: Commonwealth Games Australia

The Gold Coast (Queensland) has withdrawn its bid to host the next Commonwealth Games, ending any hope the event could still be held in Australia.

‘BBC NEWS’ stated that the coastal City hosted the 2018 Games, and the Mayor of the Gold Coast, Tom Tate, had – unilaterally – insisted it could do it again.

The Commonwealth Games is a quadrennial international multisport event among athletes from the Commonwealth of Nations, which mostly consists of territories of the former British Empire. The event was first held in 1930 and, with the exception of 1942 and 1946, has successively run every four years since.

The 2026 Commonwealth Games, officially known as the XXIII Commonwealth Games, is a proposed multisport event for members of the Commonwealth. The 2026 Commonwealth Games would be the first to be held since the death of Queen Elizabeth II and the accession of King Charles III as Head of the Commonwealth on September 8^th, 2022. The Games are currently without a host.

‘BBC NEWS’ further stated that the Federal and State Governments have repeatedly ruled out supporting the event, as had his own Deputy Mayo Cr Donna Gates.

Organizers have said they may have to postpone or cancel the next installment of the Games.

The Commonwealth Games has only ever been canceled during World War II. To be eligible to participate, competitors must be from one of over 70 nations or territories – many of which were once part of the British Empire.

The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) had struggled to find a host for the 2026 Games before Victoria volunteered, and a month after the State’s withdrawal, the only contender for the 2030 Games – the Canadian province of Alberta – also dropped its hosting plans.

London (UK)-based the Commonwealth Games Federation, currently known as the Commonwealth Sport, is the international organization responsible for the direction and control of the Commonwealth Games and Commonwealth Youth Games, and is the governing body of the Commonwealth Games Associations.

A Commonwealth Games Association (CGA) is a National Sports Council of the Commonwealth Sports movement. Each association is responsible for organizing, supporting and overseeing their national team for both the Commonwealth Games and the Commonwealth Youth Games. The associations are subject to the rules of, and report to, the Commonwealth Games Federation.

There are no other firm bids to host either the 2026 or 2030 Games. Governments say the cost of the event is skyrocketing, while experts argue its global image and perceived relevance is waning.

Organizers had originally estimated the Victorian Games – hosted across Cities including Geelong, Bendigo and Ballarat (Cities in Australia) – would cost A$2.6bn (£1.4bn, $1.bn), but the Government said it had ballooned to more than A$6 bn.

Tate had said the Gold Coast could host a “streamlined” version of the event for A$700m and had floated the idea of sharing it with the City of Perth – a six-hour flight away.

He says his plan had attracted support from Australian billionaires like Gina Rinehart and Gerry Harvey and athletes who are desperate for the event to proceed, but that it could not win over the Queensland or Federal Governments.

“We did our best and that’s all people can expect,” Tate said in a statement on December 3^rd.

Australia will now be known as “a place that reneges on a global sports contract”, leaving its reputation “in tatters”, he added.

Commonwealth Games Australia (CGA) wanted to keep the Games in Australia, but Chief Executive Craig Phillips said he understood Tate’s decision.

Melbourne (Australia)-based the Commonwealth Games Australia is the Commonwealth Games Association for Australia and is responsible for representing and promoting the Commonwealth Sport movement in the country and organizes the participation of athletes at the Commonwealth Games and Commonwealth Youth Games.

Concluded Tate, “The CGA, alongside our colleagues at the CGF, are working tirelessly to find an alternative solution for the athletes of Australia and the Pacific and conversations continue on four continents including here at home.”

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