THE Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) has formally offered Malaysia the opportunity to host the 2026 Commonwealth Games, replacing Victoria, Australia, which withdrew last year.
The Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) said this would entail a large financial investment of up to £100 million (about RM601 million) to pay for the planning of the massive event.
The Commonwealth Games is said to be the second biggest sporting event in the world after the Olympics.
In a statement, the OCM said that it has now begun discussions with the Youth and Sports Ministry regarding the possibility of hosting the games after the original winning bidder, Victoria, withdrew last year.
OCM president Tan Sri Mohamad Norza Zakaria said OCM, which also takes the role of the Commonwealth Games Association (CGA) of Malaysia, is of the view that the government should consider this “once-in-a-lifetime” opportunity.
In addition to obtaining support and related financial investment, successfully hosting the event would continue the legacy of Malaysia’s accomplishment in hosting it in Kuala Lumpur in 1998, and help restore the country’s glory in the global sporting arena.
According to him, the country also possesses existing world-class facilities and is able to host international events such as the Commonwealth Games which would see the participation of 74 Commonwealth nations and territories.
Norza stressed that the hosting will involve minimal government spending and bring significant socioeconomic benefits to the country.
“It will also elevate the standard of Malaysia sports much like the way it did in the aftermath of the 1998 Games,” he said.
“Following a formal invitation from the CGF to OCM, which is also known as the Commonwealth Games Association (CGA) of Malaysia, last month, OCM started discussions with the Malaysian Youth and Sports Ministry on the possibility of staging the 2026 Commonwealth Games following the withdrawal of winning bidder Victoria, Australia, last year,” he confirmed.
Last Saturday, Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh said the decision on whether Malaysia is interested in hosting the 2026 Commonwealth Games is expected to be made by the cabinet soon.
Yeoh said her ministry is preparing a cabinet paper encompassing the results of studies on various aspects of organising the sport for the cabinet.
Bernama reports that the fate of the 2026 Commonwealth Games remains in question after the Australian state of Victoria, which was slated to host the 23rd edition, pulled out in July last year due to increased hosting costs from the initial expectation of AUD2.6 billion (about RM8.09 billion) to AUD7 billion (approximately RM21.78 billion).
The Victoria state government also reportedly agreed to pay AUD380 million for breach of contract for failing to host the games as scheduled from March 17 to 29, 2026.
Malaysia became the first Asian country to host the Commonwealth Games in 1998. In 2010, the quadrennial Games returned to the region and were held in India. – The Vibes, March 11, 2024.
