Nothing wrong with offering to host a ‘scaled-back’ Commonwealth Games here

This week the Australian state of Victoria pulled out of hosting the 2026 Commonwealth Games. This has opened the need for an ‘emergency host’. Immediately the Australian commonwealth committee turned to other potential hosts in the country, but every Aussie state rejected the opportunity, as did neighbouring New Zealand. In fact nowhere worldwide has jumped up to the occasion and so as of now, the Commonwealth Games is no more. Australia is the top team at the Commonwealth Games, with the most gold medals as well as being the country to have hosted the games the most times, even as recently as 2018, when they hosted it in the Gold Coast. Australia’s bid to host the 2026 games had no competition, and this trend is not new. The Olympics in Paris 2024, Los Angeles 2028 and Brisbane 2032 were also unrivalled, leaving the International Olympics Committee having to explore ‘new’ options in terms of how hosts are selected. The 2030 Commonwealth Games are yet to receive any formal bids, also. Could this spell the end to large scale multi-sports competitions.

There’s a reason Guernsey hasn’t bid for the games. Guernsey is too small and without the immense resources previously required for a games. But lets look at the example of the 2036 Olympics, for which a host is currently being searched for. Denmark has discussed a very interesting proposal… they want Copenhagen to host ‘the budget games’. The Olympics have grown too large for the Scandinavian state to host it, unless there’s no other option. The reason no one is bidding, and now hosts are cancelling, is no secret. Hosting these events simply cost too much, particularly at a time of economic turmoil. Denmark is proposing hosting a more cost effective 2036 Olympic games where they use existing infrastructure and scale back to what really matters, the sports taking place. If it comes down to the games not happening at all, or holding it in a primary school field, the latter sounds better. That’s the extremities of course.

Guernsey has just hosted the most successful island games to date. Without downplaying the immense incline a Commonwealth Games would be, with potentially 30% more competitors, there would be absolutely nothing wrong with offering to host a ‘scaled-back’ Commonwealth Games.

A ‘save-the-games’ bid, one which stresses a ‘focus on the sports’, would have to be taken seriously when they are currently facing a situation in which, for the first time since World War II, no games will be held at all. Guernsey can host it as they see fit. Smaller venues. Slimmed back schedule with 14 sports (as with the island games), rather than the proposed 16 sports. It could even be pitched as a games for the ‘smaller nations’, the ‘overseas’ and ‘island’ territories, which make up the majority of commonwealth states. There’s no reason Guernsey must do it alone either, Jersey could do half the sports.

A globally-televised event is the soft power Guernsey needs to draw investment and expand our voice and influence on the world stage, so that we can engage in the issues that matter to us, whether that be trade or climate.

It also gives our athletes an unimaginable home competition.

Perhaps the island games have blown our ambitions out of proportion. This all sounds ludicrous, but if it’s this or nothing, I’m sure this is the better option. At a time where a scaled back, smaller and ‘budget’ are needed, Guernsey becomes big enough to host it.

Without making it appear easier than it sounds, how about the leaders in Guernsey sport make that phone call, the one the Commonwealth Committee isn’t expecting but desperately needs. Offer our services, then let’s see what happens.

Nadine Burma