Never host the Games

Stuff reports:

The New Zealand Olympic Committee (NZOC) remains confident the 2026 Commonwealth Games will go ahead despite there being no host city following a dramatic termination of Victoria’s bid on Tuesday.

NZOC chief executive Nicki Nicol says there is still time for a replacement host to be found but confirmed it will not be New Zealand, despite the NZOC revealing an interest in hosting the 2034 Games with the support of the Government, back in April.

In a shock announcement, that blindsided both the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) and the NZOC, Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews told a press conference on Tuesday that the cost of his state’s bid had ballooned out from A$2.6 billion to at least A$6b (NZ$6.5b) and it would be withdrawing its bid.

Nicol said the NZOC was incredibly disappointed by Victoria’s decision.

We should never ever bid to host the Commonwealth or Olympic Games. They always cost billions.

Victoria knew this when they won the Games. It is bad faith to renege on a hosting. No one will ever trust them again.

Frankly they should stop the tradition of having cities bid to host the games. It would be far better to say develop six cities (one per continent) that has the facilities to host world class games, and just rotate them through those six cities.

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