Member Insights: What does the Commonwealth Games’ future look like?

In this week’s Member Insight piece David Alexander, MD of Calacus PR, looks into the recent announcement surrounding the Commonwealth Games and question’s the events future.

Since the Commonwealth Games began in 1930, they have only ever been cancelled because of World War Two. 

A shock and unexpected announcement in mid-July could well see the event cancelled for the first time since – but the situation underlines the challenges that the Commonwealth Games faces for its very existence.

Founded by a Canadian sportswriter who wanted to celebrate the British Empire, the Games’ colonial roots have become a point of contention with a growing number of people. 

The competition, which was even previously called the British Empire Games, is struggling to attract younger audiences who consider it dated and unethical. 

The CGF have acknowledged the controversy surrounding the competition, stating: “There is no easy way of saying the Commonwealth has a challenging history linked to colonial roots. Work has already started to alter the focus from the hegemony of the British Empire to one of global peace.” 

The Guardian journalist Tumaini Carayol said in condemnation: “The lasting damage that slavery and colonialism have inflicted on Commonwealth countries has never been fully addressed.

“What initially stood as an event for Britain and its colonies is now a helpful tool for Britain to divert attention from its ills of the past, presenting itself as a more compassionate nation compared with other former imperial powers.”

It does not help that the diversity and respect on which international sports competition is based flounders when same-sex relations are illegal in 35 of the 56 member states, with homosexuality carrying a sentence of life imprisonment in seven.

No wonder that before last year’s event in Birmingham, British diver Tom Daley slammed the homophobia rampant in many Commonwealth countries. 

When Victoria state Premier Daniel Andrews announced that the hosts had pulled out due to an increase in costs from Au$2bn to Au$6bn, he did so without full engagement with the Commonwealth Games Federation,  Commonwealth Games Australia and the federal government.

Whatever his motives for making the decision without consultation, it has put Andrews in a challenging position which will put his authority under increased scrutiny and doubts will inevitably rise about any future promises he makes.

There will be a Senate investigation, focusing on his financial estimates and the reasons behind the decision, which saw him respond in an aggressive and defensive manner when faced with media in late July.

Asked whether he would apologise to athletes and businesses who had already invested in expectation of the Games, Andrews insisted the event was “all cost and no benefit.

“I’m not going to apologise for not taking money out of schools and hospitals.”

Little surprise, then, that opposing Liberal Senator for Victoria Sarah Henderson said  in reply that: “No Victorian should have any faith in any promise made by either Daniel Andrews or Anthony Albanese,” Senator Henderson said.

“This state has become an economic basket case. (Daniel Andrews) needs to be honest with the people of Victoria over what it has cost to cancel the Games.”

When Victoria was first names as 2026 hosts, its government website said that: “Victoria 2026 will showcase what makes the people of our state tick: our unity, our diversity, our sense of community, our welcoming attitude and our love of sport.” 

Understandably, the CGF were not impressed by the cancellation and issued a statement: “This is hugely disappointing for the Commonwealth Sport Movement, for athletes around the Commonwealth and the organising committee who are well advanced in their planning and preparation.

“We are disappointed that we were only given eight hours’ notice and that no consideration was given to discussing the situation to jointly find solutions prior to this decision being reached by the government.

“Up until this point, the government had advised that sufficient funding was available to deliver the Victoria 2026 Commonwealth Games. The reasons given are financial. The numbers quoted to us today of AU$6bn are 50 per cent more than those advised to the organising committee board at its meeting in June.”

There have been reports that Andrews’ government ignored warnings about holding the event across regional areas instead of in Melbourne alone, which was always going to have an impact on budgets.

CGF President Dame Louise Martin wrote of Andrews’ team: “Since awarding Victoria the Games, the government has made decisions to include more sports and an additional regional hub, and changed plans for venues, all of which have added considerable expense, often against the advice of the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) and Commonwealth Games Australia (CGA).”

The discrepancy and uncertainty over financial figures raises questions about what else has gone wrong for the situation to get to this point.

Craig Phillips, Chief Executive of Commonwealth Games Australia doubted the A$6bn estimation. 

He said: “The stated costs overrun, in our opinion, a gross exaggeration and not reflective of the operation costs presented to the Victorian 2026 Organising Committee as recently as June this year.

“The announcement made by the Victorian Government today is beyond disappointing. It’s a comprehensive let down for the athletes, the excited host communities, First Nations Australians who were at the heart of the Games, and the millions of fans that would have embraced a sixth home Games in Australia.” 

Whether the situation damages Australia’s chances of hosting future major sporting events remains to be seen.

Shadow federal Sports Minister, Anne Ruston, believes that Victoria’s decision could affect Australia’s hosting credibility. She said: “Australia’s reputation has been damaged today and you should be very worried about the damage this does to Australia’s international reputation. Today is a very sad day for Australian sport.” 

Others suggest that the reputational damage will affect its trading capabilities. 

Tim Harcourt, an economist with the University of Technology Sydney, said: “The Commonwealth Games are pretty significant for trade. They’re not being leveraged for how important they could be.”

He argued that at a time in which Australia is seeking to strengthen its trade in the Indo-Pacific region, no longer welcoming those nations to compete in Australia is economically “short-sighted.”

The Commonwealth Games is the only high profile, international competition in which disabled athletes compete alongside able-bodied athletes rather than in a separate event.

Australian gold-medal-winning Paralympian swimmer, Rowan Crothers, tweeted that the Games are “a great opportunity to raise awareness for disabled sport. Seeing the Games cancelled will suck for the state of inclusion. 

“For some athletes, a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games means more than a gold medal at the Paralympics… recognition and equality can mean more than achievement.”

But the ramifications for the future of the Games themselves are worrying.

Steve Georgakis, a sports studies lecturer at the University of Sydney, observed: “This could spell the end of the Commonwealth Games.”

Whether that proves to be the case or not, perhaps the competition’s uncomfortable origins and dwindling audiences will ensure that fate is inescapable.