THE future of the Commonwealth Games is uncertain, with no firm bids to host the next two editions of the competition.
Despite funding pledges, Malaysia has rejected an offer to host the 2026 edition of the Games, which bring together Great Britain and its former colonies, including Nigeria.
The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) offered Malaysia £100m as supporting funds after the Australian state of Victoria withdrew as host, but the Asian country’s sports ministry said the offer “will not cover the overall cost of hosting a large-scale sports event”.
“Additionally, the economic impact could not be identified in this short timeframe,” it added.
Victoria withdrew as host last July because of soaring costs, raising questions over the future of the Games.
Birmingham, which had been due to host in 2026, stepped in to host the 2022 Commonwealth Games when the South Africa’s Durban was stripped of hosting rights over funding shortages that led to missing key deadlines.
President of Commonwealth Games Association of Malaysia Mohamad Norza Zakaria had said the chance to host in 2026 was a “once in a lifetime opportunity to build on the success of 1998” – the only previous occasion the country has hosted the Games.
But Malaysia’s sports minister Hannah Yeoh said yesterday it may be best for the country not to host if public funds are needed to stage the event.
The 2030 edition of the Commonwealth Games is also yet receive a firm hosting bid from any country or city, with the government of Alberta, Canada pulling its support for a bid to host it due to rising costs.
