Victoria’s trash is now Commonwelth Games treasure

Steve Larkin | July 22, 2025

What Victoria trashed is now treasured as a raft of nations pitch to host the Commonwealth Games after Scotland’s saviours.

As Glasgow prepares to host from July 23 next year, the Games  has moved from peril to prospects as seven countries bid to host, but not Australia.

Two years ago, Victoria’s government reneged on hosting the 2026 Games in a shock that still rankles.

“Obviously, try not to look too much back into the past,” Australia’s team chef de mission Petria Thomas told AAP.

“But that disappointment of the Victorian government cancelling the Games, it’s not going to fade quickly … particularly in the way it was done as well.”

Victoria gave no warning to Games officials before, in July 2023, announcing they’d scrapped hosting.

For the next “tumultuous” year, as Thomas put it, the future of event first staged in 1930 was threatened before Glasgow saved the Games.

“Incredibly grateful and fortunate that the Scottish have stepped up to the mark here,” Thomas said.

“It was obviously highly disappointing that the Victorian government pulled out and it left the Commonwealth sport movement in a very difficult position.

“It’s fantastic that the Games will be on in Glasgow.

“Obviously a little bit of a different look to them this time with fewer sports which is a shame.

“But it’s the reality of the position that the Commonwealth sport movement was put in, unfortunately.”

Beyond Glasgow, five nations including Olympic 2036 hopeful India, Canada and Nigeria have tabled bids to host the centenary 2030 Games.

New Zealand is among two bidders for the 2034 version.

All will be keen observers of Glasgow’s pared-down Games featuring 10 sports, nine less than in 2022 in Birmingham.

Trusty sources of Australian medals such as hockey, rugby sevens and diving have been chopped.

But crucially for Australia’s ambitions, 82 per cent of the nation’s medal events in Birmingham remain on the Glasgow program.

“We don’t set specific medal targets,” Thomas said.

“But we don’t shy away from the fact that we would like to finish on top of the medal tally.

“To be honest, our Australian public expect the Australian team do well.

“We will be doing everything we can to help our athletes across as many sports as possible win as many medals, and preferably gold ones – that’s nothing to shy away from.”

The Glasgow program will feature athletics, swimming, 3×3 basketball, track cycling, weightlifting, lawn bowls, artistic gymnastics, netball, boxing and judo.

And Thomas expected almost all of Australia’s big-name athletes to compete.

Teenaged sprint sensation Gout Gout had initially been expected to prioritise the August 5-9 world junior titles in the United States, where he wants to emulate the incomparable Usain Bolt, who won the under-20 200m title back in 2002.

But if the scheduling allows it, there is now every chance Gout could contest the Commonwealth 100m event in Glasgow, before jetting to the US for the 200m at the world juniors.

“If you look at the past, Australians generally have wanted to compete at the Commonwealth Games because they know it’s an amazing event and a special team to be a part of,” Thomas said.

“Of course we hope that all of our best athletes are there … I am  confident we will have our best athletes available.”

Four Glasgow venues will host sports and the Games won’t be funded from the public purse.

Victoria’s government paid the Commonwealth Games Federation, since rebranded Commonwealth Sport, $380 million in compensation, with $200 million diverted to Glasgow.