Australia mundur jadi tuan rumah Sukan Komanwel 2026 gara-gara kos terlalu tinggi

MELBOURNE: Negeri Victoria, Australia menarik diri daripada menjadi tuan rumah Sukan Komanwel 2026, berikutan kos yang terlalu tinggi, sekaligus meletakkan masa depan sukan yang diadakan empat tahun sekali itu diragukan.

Menteri utama negeri Victoria, Encik Dan Andrews berkata, kos menganjurkan sukan itu, yang dijangka diadakan di empat hab serantau, mungkin mencecah lebih A$7 bilion (S$7.7 bilion) daripada anggaran awal A$2.6 bilion, jika mahu diteruskan.

“Jujurnya, A$6 hingga A$7 bilion untuk acara sukan selama 12 hari, kita tidak dapat menganjurkannya,” kata Encik Andrews dalam satu sidang media di sini.

“Saya tidak akan mengambil wang dari hospital dan sekolah untuk membiayai acara sukan ini, yang sudah meningkat tiga kali ganda daripada anggaran awal yang diperuntukan pada tahun lalu.”

Encik Andrews berkata Victoria sudah memaklumkan kepada badan pentadbir global Persekutuan Sukan Komanwel (CGF) dalam “satu pertemuan mesra” tetapi kos gantirugi kerana membatalkan kontrak sukan 2026 itu masih lagi belum diputuskan.

The CGF and local governing body Commonwealth Games Australia did not provide immediate comment.

The sporting event for mostly former British colonies has struggled to remain relevant, with four of the last five editions held in Australia or Britain.

English city Birmingham stepped in to host the 2022 Games after South Africa were stripped of them in 2017 over a lack of progress in preparations.

Victoria stepped in to bid for the 2026 Games when no other countries showed interest.

Officials had talked up the legacy benefits from new infrastructure in the regional hubs of Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo and Gippsland, and an economic boost of more than A$3 billion from tourism and thousands of new jobs.

“As a state, of course we were willing to help out, but of course not at any price and only if there were lasting benefits for Victorian communities and benefit for the whole state,” Andrews said.

The government would instead spend more than A$2 billion on a “regional package” which would include building all permanent sporting facilities intended for the Games, along with A$1 billion earmarked for social and affordable housing.

Soon after the announcement, Australian sport officials were touting the country’s largest state of New South Wales as an alternative host for 2026.

NSW state capital Sydney hosted the 2000 Olympics.

“There’s no question we’ve got the venues ... and March would be a good time to host it,” John Coates, an International Olympic Committee Vice-President and former Australian Olympic Committee boss, said in comments published by Sydney’s Daily Telegraph.