now Canada's Alberta withdraws from Commonwealth games

🤗

(I think we might have guessed from in 20.30 as opposed to at 20.30, don’t you? 😉)
It has more exactly withdrawn its bid to host.
A Canadian province has pulled its support for a bid to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games. Alberta has dropped the idea citing potential costs in hosting the event.
A joint bid was being considered by the region, with Edmonton and Calgary taking centre stage, reports the BBC. But Tourism and Sport Minister Joseph Schow says the bill for hosting the Games could have reached £1.5 billion

So nothing had been decided. .

And presumably, unless things change, Canada will still be competing.

Maybe the Commonwealth games have had their day. Shame for the athletes who won’t have a chance to compete , but there are lots of other competitions - world championships, olympics etc. to aim for.

vegansrock

Maybe the Commonwealth games have had their day. Shame for the athletes who won’t have a chance to compete , but there are lots of other competitions - world championships, olympics etc. to aim for.

For me, the trouble with those is the predominance of the US and Russia and perhaps nowadays also the political aspect of participation.

I can't help thinking, that in the old days the Queen would have stepped in and said, " Just shut up the lot of you! Bring the Commonwealth Games to London permanently."

JOseann....so, do you also think that the queen ould have made this offer along ith one to finance it???
Problem is the cost of such multi-sports events. Need top class arenas for all the sports, hich usually means not just updating, but actually building many new arenas. Okay London still has it s 2012 pool and diving pit (although n ot as it as for the Olympics). But most of other arenas have gone. and would, therefore need replacing. Could London afford that - probably not.

Also, there is alays an advantage to a Home Crowd for the competitors. Sad it cannot continue being moved around the Commonealth countries.

I have always felt that the Olympic Games should have a permanent site somehere in Greece, (but being a separate place (Olympiad - rather like Vatican City is separate from Italy).

The costs of any multi-sport event is staggering - even the wonderful London Youth Games was unable to continue in its original form due to costs.

I agree with Franbern. The costs of all these games has got out of hand and it's no wonder that some countries feel they can no longer afford them. A permanent site in Greece for the Olympics is the answer, financed by contributions from all participating countries, is a sensible solution. It would be much cheaper.
I hope the Commonwealth games can continue, but toned down a bit. It's just too expensive.

Sorry I think it’s better to move competitions around the world.

Gives the citizens of the host country a chance to see sport close to home.

Commonwealth, Olympic and World Championships Games bring in revenue to the host Countries.

When it’s being acknowledged by the medical professionals that as a species we are becoming more unfit and sedentary due to working from home and our reliance on tech anything which encourages people to get interested in sport, brings joy and gets them moving can only be a good thing.

There seems to be a general mood of cancel culture growing at the moment particularly here on GN which I find particularly depressing.

We need joy, we need celebrations we need something to focus on particular in the world of sport.

I think they should move around, too. I hope they don’t put an end to these games, thinking of the athletes who would really miss out on a big chance to show their skills and compete.

I doubt the Commonwealth games will survive. The costs are enormous and the return doubtful in terms of tourism spend and world kudos. Of course they are a training opportunity for top athletes but the absence of contenders from the USA, China and other major countries may devalue them.

I think these games are past their sell by date. They are obviously very expensive to put on and a lot of countries either can’t afford to host them or prefer not to have the expense.