Major sporting events are unsustainable.A new model is needed

The decision by the Australian state T of Victoria to pull out of hosting the Commonwealth Games issues a broader challenge to sports leaders, governments, athletes and citizens around the world.

- Cath Bishop

This crisis goes beyond the growing indifference to the purpose of the event, originally founded as the Empire Games in 1930. The Olympics faces a similar struggle with only two bids for the 2024 Summer Games, with Paris and Los Angeles awarded 2024 and 2028 respectively, and Brisbane being the only city bidding for 2032.

In the race for the 2022 Winter Olympics, at least five potential host cities, all western democracies, withdrew from the bidding process after voter referendums or public polling indicated a lack of local support, leaving only Beijing and Almaty in the running. The old model for hosting big events is broken and a new one is needed.

The costs of the original model are simply too high. This isn't just about the financial costs alone any more, despite the Victoria government's rationale and the consistently woeful history of budget overruns and poor budget management of sporting events for decades. We are aware of other costs that matter, barely visible when these sports events were first set up.