"So disappointing" - Commonwealth Games surprised by Victoria pullout

(19 Jul 2023)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:

ASSOCIATED PRESS
London, UK - 18 July 2023
1. 00:08 SOUNDBITE (English) Katie Sadleir, chief executive officer of the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF):
"Clearly, it is so disappointing. You know, it's I think that as an organization, we're still getting used to the decision. It was only 24 hours ago where I was sitting in this room and we were briefed by representation from the Victorian State Government and it came as a complete surprise. Like a complete surprise, certainly was not expecting that."
2. 00:35 SOUNDBITE (English) Katie Sadleir, chief executive officer of the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF):
"We were very, very excited about our partnership with Victoria. You know, it was a unique proposition that they put forward as part of their bid, which we've never done before, so a regional based Commonwealth Games. So now that they have withdrawn from that contract, we will be open to discussing possibilities with all of our members about who's interested in stepping up into that role."
STORYLINE:
The Commonwealth Games Federation on Tuesday said that Australia’s Victoria state withdrawal as host of the 2026 Commonwealth Games was "disappointing" and "came as a complete surprise."

Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews on Tuesday said the decision was made because of a blowout in projected costs.

He said his government initially budgeted 2.6 billion Australian dollars ($1.8 billion) to stage the Games in five regional cities but recent estimates put the potential cost as high as 7 billion Australian dollars ($4.8 billion).

The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) said the estimated cost escalation was mainly due to the regional, multi-city host model and the Victoria government's decision to change plans for venues and include more sports.

"If you look at the history of the Commonwealth Games, what was being proposed in the paper as a $6 billion exercise is significantly more than has been the case in previous games," said Katie Sadleir, chief executive officer of the CGF. "The Games do not have to cost."

It's the second time in as many editions there's been issues with hosting the Commonwealth Games.

Birmingham stepped in late to host the 2022 Games in England to replace Durban, South Africa.

Victoria state hosted the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne. The most recent edition held in Australia was on the Gold Coast, Queensland state, in 2018. The Gold Coast was part of the southeast Queensland bid that in 2021 was awarded rights to the 2032 Olympics.

The Commonwealth Games started out as the British Empire Games in 1930 at Hamilton, Canada, and since 1978 has operated under its current branding.

England, Australia, New Zealand, Wales, Jamaica, Scotland, Malaysia and India have hosted the Games, which are staged every four years and involve teams from 54 members of the Commonwealth network and 17 overseas territories and island states.

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