SINGAPORE: Singapore has the cash and capabilities to host the next Commonwealth Games, but whether it should and does so comes down to what the country and its people stand to gain, observers told CNA.
Earlier in March, it was revealed that Singapore was “assessing the feasibility” of an invitation by the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) to stage the 2026 edition of the quadrennial multi-sport event.
In response to CNA’s queries, the Commonwealth Games Singapore (CGS) association and statutory board Sport Singapore (SportSG) said that during a November 2023 general assembly, CGF had invited all member states – including Singapore – to express interest in hosting the next edition of the Games.
The assembly was held in Singapore and convened four months after the Australian state of Victoria pulled out as hosts of the 2026 Games, citing projected cost overruns.
CNA spoke to observers across sporting, economic and political spheres to discuss some of the key considerations if Singapore were to host a Commonwealth Games.
Held once every four years, the first Commonwealth Games took place in 1930 as the British Empire Games. Participation is limited to members of the Commonwealth of Nations and their dependant territories.
The Commonwealth comprises 56 sovereign states including Singapore.
It consists of countries previously in the British Empire, others which remain British dominions and also others who opted in despite having no colonial links to Britain.
Currently, a total of 74 member nations and territories are eligible to compete at the Commonwealth Games.
The Games has only been held in Asia twice – Kuala Lumpur in 1998 and New Delhi in 2010 – with hosting duties largely split between the UK, Australia, Canada and New Zealand.
Over the last decade, the event has been plagued by a struggle to find willing hosts as well as questions over its meaningfulness.
"The Commonwealth Games is a Games seeking relevance, unlike the Asian Games and the Olympic Games," said Associate Professor Eugene Tan, a law lecturer at Singapore Management University (SMU).
He was also team manager for the Singapore water polo team at the 2002 Busan Asian Games and for the swimming squad at the 2004 Athens Olympics.
Former Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC) vice-president Low Teo Ping was of the view that the Games has become "quite irrelevant today".
"If you ask the man on the street, especially the younger ones, I don't think they can even in fact tell you exactly if they know there is such a thing as the Commonwealth," he said.
If the goal is to achieve regional cooperation and build relationships, events like the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games and the Asian Games probably provide a "longer list of benefits", Mr Low added.
Singapore's table tennis players Feng Tianwei, Wong Xin Ru, Zeng Jian and Zhou Jingyi won gold in the women's team event at the 2022 Commonwealth Games. (Photo: Sport Singapore)
Economist Song Seng Wun pointed to the importance of an event's stature.
"If an event is something which catches global media headlines on a sustained basis, that adds value to the Singapore brand name. If it's not going to be mentioned in the media globally, but just as a side-note, is it worth it?"
Ex-national footballer R. Sasikumar, who's now chief executive of the D+1 Sports business development firm, said it's also a matter of meeting Singapore's goals.
"Would you say that if 50 per cent of the world says (the Games) is relevant, then you do it?" he asked. "It has to be about: 'Does it suit me? Does it impact me?'"
Given that issues such as cost and sustainability often plague major Games, hosting the event could give Singapore an opportunity to redo what the Commonwealth Games should be, said Singapore Aquatics president and former Nominated Member of Parliament Mark Chay.
"I think we can really do something for the Commonwealth movement if we wanted to," he added.
Any major multi-sport meet, not just the Commonwealth Games, is typically an expensive endeavour.
Last year, then-Victoria state premier Daniel Andrews said the 2026 Games could have cost up to over A$7 billion (S$6.13 billion) - from a budgeted A$2.6 billion - if they went ahead with hosting the event.
But on Wednesday (Mar 20), the state's auditor-general said in a report that these costs were "overstated and not transparent".
The cost of hosting the 2020 Olympics and Paralympics in Tokyo came to 1.69 trillion yen (S$17.4 billion).
There appears to be an attempt to defray costs for potential organisers.
When the Commonwealth Games Federation approached the Olympic Council of Malaysia to replace Victoria as hosts, the offer included £100 million (S$170 million) to support delivery and legacy planning of the 2026 edition.
A CGF spokesperson said this amount was on offer for any potential host, as part of Victoria's withdrawal settlement.
On Friday, however, Malaysia decided against hosting the Games because of the cost. Its sports minister said the government wanted to instead "focus on the development of sports as well as the welfare and well-being of the people".
Costs aside, most of the observers who CNA spoke to generally agreed that hosting the Games would benefit Singapore's sporting ecosystem.
For one, there is the immense boost from competing in front of a home crowd, said former national athletes such as Mr Chay and Mr Sasikumar.
"Being able to participate at such a high-level competition is already going to benefit somebody's athletic career. Being able to do it at home is a whole different level," explained Mr Chay, who swam at two Commonwealth Games.
With Singapore already confirmed as hosts of the 2025 World Aquatics Championships and 2029 SEA Games, adding the 2026 Commonwealth Games to the calendar would help in the country's positioning as a major sporting hub, he added.
Mr Low, the ex-SNOC VP, however described the Commonwealth Games as "disjointed" given that it excludes a number of top sporting nations. In badminton, for example, traditional powerhouses such as Denmark, China and Indonesia would not be taking part.
Still, the level of competition in sports such as swimming and athletics remains world-class.
In the pool at the last edition of the Commonwealth Games in 2022, swimmers such as Australia's Ariarne Titmus (400m freestyle world record holder) and Canada's Summer Mcintosh (400m individual medley world record holder) were among the starring names.
Five-time Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah ruled the track, winning the sprint double for Jamaica. She also won both events at the 2016 Rio Olympics and 2021 Tokyo Olympics.
Mr Chay noted that such athletes can inspire the next generation of Singaporean talent.
While Singapore's swimmers will also get to compete at home against a world-class field at the World Aquatics Championships next year, a multi-sport event like the Commonwealth Games has the potential to reach a wider audience, added Mr Chay, who was chef de mission for Singapore at the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games.
Former Singapore Sports Hub chief executive officer and national swimmer Oon Jin Teik also pointed out that the Commonwealth Games is an inclusive event also featuring athletes with disabilities as full members of their national teams.
This is not the case for other major meets like the Olympics, Asian Games or SEA Games.
Beyond athletes, hosting the Commonwealth Games is a chance to develop and grow the local sports business industry, said Mr Sasikumar.
"When we host events we do a good job, but who are we impacting?" he said. "The knock-on, downstream effect is that if we can get people into the industries; we can get agencies and businesses to thrive because of the Commonwealth Games; and that has (created) a legacy."
SMU's Assoc Prof Tan said that at minimum, a key consideration is whether Singaporeans will "enthusiastically" support a bid to host the Games.
"A large majority of Singaporeans must buy into the decision ... which should work on the premise that Singapore will be successful," said the former Nominated MP.
"That, in turn, means that Singaporeans must be persuaded of its economic viability. It’s not enough to break even."
Given that countries with "stronger sporting cultures" were not able to avoid going into a deficit when they hosted the Games, it needs to be asked why Singapore will be any different, he said.
"A loss-making Commonwealth Games will likely be a vote-losing proposition."
In addition, there is the spectre of the Youth Olympic Games which Singapore hosted in 2010. While it made history as the first of its kind, the budget ballooned by more than three times from S$106 million to S$387 million.
"The legacy of the YOG 2010 should make us pause to ask whether we are prepared to incur losses in the tens or even hundreds of millions. Are we going to get the bang for our buck in hosting the Commonwealth Games?" asked Assoc Prof Tan.
"We have to be highly selective."
Mr Sasikumar, however, urged against viewing this previous experience of hosting a major sporting event as anything more than a data point.
"It cannot be the whole basis of decision-making because you'll end up living in the past and you'll not be able to do anything right."
Most observers CNA spoke to believe the answer is yes, and that Singapore has the infrastructure to pull off a Commonwealth Games. But they were more divided on whether Singapore should do so.
Mr Chay pointed out that Singapore has been able to organise major events meeting global standards and while on a budget.
Unlike Victoria state, Singapore would also not need to build new stadiums to host the Games, he added.
But experts also noted that some facilities would require upgrades, while others worried that the Sports Hub may not be able to cope with multiple events being held at once.
Singapore's Yong Kai Terry Hee and Jessica Wei Han Tan react after winning the mixed doubles gold medal badminton match against England at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England, Aug 8, 2022. (Photo: AP/Manish Swarup)
While Singapore has the financial muscle to upgrade or build new facilities if if wanted to, whether this will be money well spent remains to be seen.
Pointing to infrastructure needs across areas such as trains, airports and housing, Assoc Prof Tan asked: "Do we really need to add to the demands on the public coffers?"
While an Olympics is out of reach, the Commonwealth Games falls into the category of events which Singapore can host, said Mr Sasikumar.
"I think it is a really good event for us to go after. But it needs to tick the other boxes so that we can try and mitigate with the general population ... that at the end of the day, this is really going to help people in Singapore."
At the end of the day, the key questions revolve around why Singapore should bid, and what happens after the "circus" leaves town, said Mr Oon, the former sports administrator who now runs his own consultancy.
"The legacy plan must be well executed with the right level of resources ... If the legacy outcomes are clear, no one will regret it."
Continue reading...
Earlier in March, it was revealed that Singapore was “assessing the feasibility” of an invitation by the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) to stage the 2026 edition of the quadrennial multi-sport event.
In response to CNA’s queries, the Commonwealth Games Singapore (CGS) association and statutory board Sport Singapore (SportSG) said that during a November 2023 general assembly, CGF had invited all member states – including Singapore – to express interest in hosting the next edition of the Games.
Related:
The assembly was held in Singapore and convened four months after the Australian state of Victoria pulled out as hosts of the 2026 Games, citing projected cost overruns.
CNA spoke to observers across sporting, economic and political spheres to discuss some of the key considerations if Singapore were to host a Commonwealth Games.
Is the Games still relevant?
Held once every four years, the first Commonwealth Games took place in 1930 as the British Empire Games. Participation is limited to members of the Commonwealth of Nations and their dependant territories.
The Commonwealth comprises 56 sovereign states including Singapore.
It consists of countries previously in the British Empire, others which remain British dominions and also others who opted in despite having no colonial links to Britain.
Currently, a total of 74 member nations and territories are eligible to compete at the Commonwealth Games.
The Games has only been held in Asia twice – Kuala Lumpur in 1998 and New Delhi in 2010 – with hosting duties largely split between the UK, Australia, Canada and New Zealand.
Over the last decade, the event has been plagued by a struggle to find willing hosts as well as questions over its meaningfulness.
"The Commonwealth Games is a Games seeking relevance, unlike the Asian Games and the Olympic Games," said Associate Professor Eugene Tan, a law lecturer at Singapore Management University (SMU).
He was also team manager for the Singapore water polo team at the 2002 Busan Asian Games and for the swimming squad at the 2004 Athens Olympics.
Former Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC) vice-president Low Teo Ping was of the view that the Games has become "quite irrelevant today".
"If you ask the man on the street, especially the younger ones, I don't think they can even in fact tell you exactly if they know there is such a thing as the Commonwealth," he said.
If the goal is to achieve regional cooperation and build relationships, events like the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games and the Asian Games probably provide a "longer list of benefits", Mr Low added.
Singapore's table tennis players Feng Tianwei, Wong Xin Ru, Zeng Jian and Zhou Jingyi won gold in the women's team event at the 2022 Commonwealth Games. (Photo: Sport Singapore)
Economist Song Seng Wun pointed to the importance of an event's stature.
"If an event is something which catches global media headlines on a sustained basis, that adds value to the Singapore brand name. If it's not going to be mentioned in the media globally, but just as a side-note, is it worth it?"
Ex-national footballer R. Sasikumar, who's now chief executive of the D+1 Sports business development firm, said it's also a matter of meeting Singapore's goals.
"Would you say that if 50 per cent of the world says (the Games) is relevant, then you do it?" he asked. "It has to be about: 'Does it suit me? Does it impact me?'"
Given that issues such as cost and sustainability often plague major Games, hosting the event could give Singapore an opportunity to redo what the Commonwealth Games should be, said Singapore Aquatics president and former Nominated Member of Parliament Mark Chay.
"I think we can really do something for the Commonwealth movement if we wanted to," he added.
What are the costs and benefits?
Any major multi-sport meet, not just the Commonwealth Games, is typically an expensive endeavour.
Last year, then-Victoria state premier Daniel Andrews said the 2026 Games could have cost up to over A$7 billion (S$6.13 billion) - from a budgeted A$2.6 billion - if they went ahead with hosting the event.
But on Wednesday (Mar 20), the state's auditor-general said in a report that these costs were "overstated and not transparent".
The cost of hosting the 2020 Olympics and Paralympics in Tokyo came to 1.69 trillion yen (S$17.4 billion).
There appears to be an attempt to defray costs for potential organisers.
When the Commonwealth Games Federation approached the Olympic Council of Malaysia to replace Victoria as hosts, the offer included £100 million (S$170 million) to support delivery and legacy planning of the 2026 edition.
A CGF spokesperson said this amount was on offer for any potential host, as part of Victoria's withdrawal settlement.
On Friday, however, Malaysia decided against hosting the Games because of the cost. Its sports minister said the government wanted to instead "focus on the development of sports as well as the welfare and well-being of the people".
Costs aside, most of the observers who CNA spoke to generally agreed that hosting the Games would benefit Singapore's sporting ecosystem.
For one, there is the immense boost from competing in front of a home crowd, said former national athletes such as Mr Chay and Mr Sasikumar.
"Being able to participate at such a high-level competition is already going to benefit somebody's athletic career. Being able to do it at home is a whole different level," explained Mr Chay, who swam at two Commonwealth Games.
With Singapore already confirmed as hosts of the 2025 World Aquatics Championships and 2029 SEA Games, adding the 2026 Commonwealth Games to the calendar would help in the country's positioning as a major sporting hub, he added.
Mr Low, the ex-SNOC VP, however described the Commonwealth Games as "disjointed" given that it excludes a number of top sporting nations. In badminton, for example, traditional powerhouses such as Denmark, China and Indonesia would not be taking part.
Still, the level of competition in sports such as swimming and athletics remains world-class.
In the pool at the last edition of the Commonwealth Games in 2022, swimmers such as Australia's Ariarne Titmus (400m freestyle world record holder) and Canada's Summer Mcintosh (400m individual medley world record holder) were among the starring names.
Five-time Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah ruled the track, winning the sprint double for Jamaica. She also won both events at the 2016 Rio Olympics and 2021 Tokyo Olympics.
Mr Chay noted that such athletes can inspire the next generation of Singaporean talent.
While Singapore's swimmers will also get to compete at home against a world-class field at the World Aquatics Championships next year, a multi-sport event like the Commonwealth Games has the potential to reach a wider audience, added Mr Chay, who was chef de mission for Singapore at the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games.
Former Singapore Sports Hub chief executive officer and national swimmer Oon Jin Teik also pointed out that the Commonwealth Games is an inclusive event also featuring athletes with disabilities as full members of their national teams.
This is not the case for other major meets like the Olympics, Asian Games or SEA Games.
Beyond athletes, hosting the Commonwealth Games is a chance to develop and grow the local sports business industry, said Mr Sasikumar.
"When we host events we do a good job, but who are we impacting?" he said. "The knock-on, downstream effect is that if we can get people into the industries; we can get agencies and businesses to thrive because of the Commonwealth Games; and that has (created) a legacy."
Could there be political repercussions?
SMU's Assoc Prof Tan said that at minimum, a key consideration is whether Singaporeans will "enthusiastically" support a bid to host the Games.
"A large majority of Singaporeans must buy into the decision ... which should work on the premise that Singapore will be successful," said the former Nominated MP.
"That, in turn, means that Singaporeans must be persuaded of its economic viability. It’s not enough to break even."
Given that countries with "stronger sporting cultures" were not able to avoid going into a deficit when they hosted the Games, it needs to be asked why Singapore will be any different, he said.
"A loss-making Commonwealth Games will likely be a vote-losing proposition."
Related:
In addition, there is the spectre of the Youth Olympic Games which Singapore hosted in 2010. While it made history as the first of its kind, the budget ballooned by more than three times from S$106 million to S$387 million.
"The legacy of the YOG 2010 should make us pause to ask whether we are prepared to incur losses in the tens or even hundreds of millions. Are we going to get the bang for our buck in hosting the Commonwealth Games?" asked Assoc Prof Tan.
"We have to be highly selective."
Mr Sasikumar, however, urged against viewing this previous experience of hosting a major sporting event as anything more than a data point.
"It cannot be the whole basis of decision-making because you'll end up living in the past and you'll not be able to do anything right."
Does Singapore have what it takes?
Most observers CNA spoke to believe the answer is yes, and that Singapore has the infrastructure to pull off a Commonwealth Games. But they were more divided on whether Singapore should do so.
Mr Chay pointed out that Singapore has been able to organise major events meeting global standards and while on a budget.
Unlike Victoria state, Singapore would also not need to build new stadiums to host the Games, he added.
But experts also noted that some facilities would require upgrades, while others worried that the Sports Hub may not be able to cope with multiple events being held at once.
Singapore's Yong Kai Terry Hee and Jessica Wei Han Tan react after winning the mixed doubles gold medal badminton match against England at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England, Aug 8, 2022. (Photo: AP/Manish Swarup)
While Singapore has the financial muscle to upgrade or build new facilities if if wanted to, whether this will be money well spent remains to be seen.
Pointing to infrastructure needs across areas such as trains, airports and housing, Assoc Prof Tan asked: "Do we really need to add to the demands on the public coffers?"
While an Olympics is out of reach, the Commonwealth Games falls into the category of events which Singapore can host, said Mr Sasikumar.
"I think it is a really good event for us to go after. But it needs to tick the other boxes so that we can try and mitigate with the general population ... that at the end of the day, this is really going to help people in Singapore."
At the end of the day, the key questions revolve around why Singapore should bid, and what happens after the "circus" leaves town, said Mr Oon, the former sports administrator who now runs his own consultancy.
"The legacy plan must be well executed with the right level of resources ... If the legacy outcomes are clear, no one will regret it."
Continue reading...