London: The Scottish capital of Glasgow is set to be announced as the host city of a "scaled down" Commonwealth Games in 2026, a year after Australian state Victoria pulled out due to ballooning costs, according to reports.
The 2026 Commonwealth Games were to be held in multiple cities across Victoria but the Australian state made a shock announcement in July 2023 that it has pulled out of the multi-sport event citing a steep rise in projected expenditure.
The withdrawal, which led to the Victorian government paying 380 million Australian dollars (around $256 million) compensation to the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF), dealt a major blow on an event that has lost relevance in recent years.
But it is learnt that the Australian authorities have promised "a multi-million pound investment" -- reported to be nearly 5 million Australia dollar -- to help finalise Glasgow's offer to rescue the multi-sport event.
"Glasgow, which hosted the games in 2014, is now close to confirming a scaled down event featuring fewer sports," the BBC reported.
"The Scottish government is on the verge of agreeing a deal for Glasgow to host the Commonwealth Games in 2026." Glasgow, which hosted the 2014 edition of the CWG on a shoe-string budget -- 575.6 million pound (around $760 million) -- with 70 per cent of the event venues already existing in the city, offered to host the 2026 edition in April.
This time also, the Glasgow organisers will utilise the existing venues and accommodation options with an estimated cost of 130 to 150 million pound ($170 million approximately), as per their proposal.
The Scottish and United Kingdom governments had refused to use any public money towards the rescue bid, which was being largely bankrolled by a 100 million pound (around $130 million) supplement from the CGF.
The Australian financial help is tipped to be used to help cover extra policing and security costs.
The number of sports in 2026 CWG is set to be reduced and would be between 10-13 -- down from 20 at Birmingham 2022 and 17 in 2014 -- with preference given to core sports.
UK government Health Secretary Neil Gray said that the 2026 Commonwealth Games would be different from when Glasgow previously hosted the event.
"Reputationally, my worry and the government's worry has always been that there is going to be a comparison with the incredibly successful 2014 games, which by any stretch of the imagination both in terms of the performances, the spectacle that it was and the legacy, were going to be hard to match," Gray said in the BBC report.
"But I'm hopeful that if we are able to recognise that if we are to go ahead, this is a different games, this is a smaller event.
"Fewer sports across fewer sites but with good collaboration we could see something coming forward that is still positive for Glasgow and for Scotland." He said discussions were ongoing to make sure "there is no financial risks to the government." The UK government last week assured the Scottish counterpart that no public money would be required to stage the Games.
After Victoria government pulled out of the 2026 CWG, a number of other cities in Australia and around the world also turned down hosting the competition before the Glasgow rescue offer became public.
Commending Australia's multi-million-pound investment offer, CGF President Chris Jenkins said his organisation fully endorsed the innovative, cost-effective sustainable concept Scotland has developed for the 2026 Commonwealth Games.
"... unreservedly believes that Scotland and the CGS team, with its significant experience in, and successful global reputation for organising major sports events, is more than able to deliver a world-class event in such a short period of time," Jenkins said in a CGF statement.
"On the basis that the Games are fully-funded and responsibly budgeted, with further support now pledged from international partners, we look forward to working with the Scottish Government to fully realise the benefits of a new, innovative Games in one of the Commonwealth's most valued and experienced sporting cities." He said the past blueprint for multi-sports events will have to change in order to become more sustainable for the future.
"In utilising existing sporting, transport and accommodation infrastructure ... forward-thinking, sustainable, and attractive proposition is something we are hugely passionate about as it will allow more countries to host these Games in the future. We believe our new Games model will lead the way for others to follow.
"The model for these Games is different but innovative.. Glasgow 2026 would be the first step in the Commonwealth Sport Movement's journey to reset and reframe the Commonwealth Games as a co-created, flexible, and sustainable model that inspires athletes, and excites Hosts and International Federations."