The Malaysian government has opted to not host the 2026 Commonwealth Games due to financial concerns, and with an event that is deemed outdated by some people. The decision was made at a cabinet meeting spearheaded by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, following the withdrawal of the Australian state of Victoria in 2023.
In a statement, Minister Hannah Yeo said: “The Ministry of Youth and Sports announced the government’s decision not to accept an offer from the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) to host the 2026 Commonwealth Games.”
2026 Commonwealth Games in Limbo
Unfortunately, the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) is having difficulties in finding a host after Victoria withdrew last July due to financial problems.
The Games are scheduled to take place in over two years from now, and the CGF has invited Malaysia and other possible host countries with 1000 million pounds ($125 million) to step in. However, the Malaysian government stated that the offer will not fully cover the entire costs of such a large-scale sports event.
The minister added: “The government wants to focus on the development of sports as well as the welfare and well-being of the people.”
Fortunately, Singapore, another country that the CGF approached to become its host country, recently admitted that it was considering the proposal for the event.
Singapore is a wealthy city-state that currently holds the annual Formula One night race and will be hosting the World Aquatics Championships in 2025.
Glasgow will host the Commonwealth Games in 2026 if the Scottish government can reach an agreement.
Neil Gray, the health secretary, who is also responsible for sports policy in the cabinet, told the press that he is in talks with Commonwealth Games Australia. It follows the assurance of “a multi-million pound investment” by Australian officials to facilitate Glasgow’s offer to save the multi-sport tournament. However, Gray cautioned that the event would not be on the same scale as the Games previously hosted by Glas
Gray admitted: “Reputationally my worry and the government’s worry has always been that there is going to be a comparison with the incredibly successful 2014 games, which by any stretch of the imagination both in terms of the performances, the spectacle that it was and the legacy, were going to be hard to match… But I’m hopeful that if we are able to recognise that if we are to go ahead, this is a different games, this is a smaller event.”
“Fewer sports across fewer sites but with good collaboration we could see something coming forward that is still positive for Glasgow and for Scotland,” he added.
Because of growing expenses, the Australian state of Victoria decided not to host the Games in 2026.
On having fewer sports
Glasgow also hosted the 2014 Games. Now, the host is almost certain to confirm a redesigned competition with fewer sports.
Following years of difficulty for the tournament, the 2026 event would only have 10 to 13 sports, as opposed to 18 in 2014. Moreover, in order to minimize costs, only four locations—including the Tollcross International Swimming Centre and Scotstoun Stadium—would be utilized in 2026.
While acknowledging that the results were average, Malaysia’s Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh has expressed regret to her fellow citizens for the country’s athletes’ inability to bring home a gold medal from the Olympic Games in Paris.
The minister admitted: “I apologize because we have yet to succeed. I am not using the word ‘fail’ because the Road to Gold (RTG) programme was set up not just for the Paris Games but the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics as well.”
Road to Gold programme
Ms Yeoh’s ministry introduced the Road to Gold programme in March 2023 with the intention of providing the necessary backing for Malaysia’s top athletes to secure the nation’s first-ever Olympic gold medal. According to her, their ministry would keep helping Malaysian coaches and athletes.
She also mentioned that the Road to Gold programme committee would convene to review technical reports from all Olympic teams competing in Paris in order to evaluate their performance and to compile a report on programme expenses.
Meanwhile, Khairy Jamaluddin, the former Minister of Youth and Sports, has justified Malaysia’s athletes’ performance at the Olympics in Paris, claiming that it was comparable to their previous results from the 1996 Games in Atlanta and the 2012 Games in London. However, he stated that the two bronzes earned in Paris were insufficient to make up for the five medals the nation had won at Rio 2016.
He admitted: “I don’t see this as a failure, but we need to acknowledge that our results were average.”
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced that new initiatives are being developed by the government to enhance Malaysia’s sporting performance in the aftermath of the Olympic Games in Paris, where its athletes won two bronze medals.
Malaysia is the most successful nation without an Olympic gold medal, having won 15 medals in silver and bronze over the years.
By Vijay Eswaran, Founder and Executive Chairman of QI Group.
In 2019, Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha stated ten ASEAN nations will be bidding for the 2034 World Cup, during the ASEAN leaders conference in Bangkok. It was a bold decision which raised eyebrows and decibels around the region, and the world.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino endorsed the move at the time, noting that ASEAN had the “economic and football capacity” to host the World Cup. Infantino alluded to ASEAN’s 650 million population, growing economy and passion for football, saying that it was a great platform to show the world what the region can do.
At the 18th ASEAN Summit, where the presidents of the 10 countries endorsed the proposal to apply for the 2030 World Cup, the notion of having ASEAN host the World Cup was first raised in 2011. The plan was firmly established eight years later at the same summit, and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen reinforced it in June of this year when he said that as ASEAN Chair, he would like all leaders of state and government to support the initiative.
However, because Qatar will host the tournament in 2022, ASEAN will be unable to host the 2030 World Cup because FIFA regulations prohibit staging the event in Asia so soon after it was relocated to this area. The following opportunity for ASEAN to submit a bid is for the 2034 edition.
As the most popular sport in ASEAN, football, hosting the World Cup would have a tremendously positive effect on the country’s economy and sporting events. To put things in context, the Asian Football Confederation was co-hosted by Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, and Indonesia in 2007. (AFC). The FIFA U-20 World Cup was held in Malaysia in 1997, and Indonesia will host the competition in 2023. Thailand and Singapore have previously hosted the ASEAN Football Federation’s tournaments, the Tiger Cup and Suzuki Cup. These provide even additional justifications for why ASEAN would be qualified to host such a prestigious event.
As one of the ASEAN nations with history in the region, Malaysia is one of those that could host the world cup if it materialises. Malaysia has a well-established football league structure called the Malaysian Super League, and the authorities have the credentials to oversee major football competitions.
In addition, according to the most current press reports, Shah Alam Stadium would be renovated and have a seating capacity of 60,000–70,000 people. By the time the stadium is finished, which is estimated to be in 2026, there will be more parking spaces available that will be beneficial to many people all over the world as well as the lodgings that will be built next to the stadium. This calls for modernised infrastructure, cutting-edge amenities, and increased security, which is yet another reason why Malaysia should be the ASEAN country to host the World Cup.
The Impact of having the World Cup in ASEAN
Image of a footballer in the World Cup qualifiers holding his flag. From Wikipedia.
The ASEAN community’s principles of economic, cultural, educational, and sporting cooperation will need nations to put aside their differences and work together. The interrelationships between member nations, which take use of the economic power of the world as a whole, would bolster a combined bid and make up for any weaknesses from a possible World Cup host country.
Additionally, ASEAN is a tourist hub. From the vibrant cities of Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, and Ho Chi Minh to the beaches of Bali and Cebu and the historic temples of Cambodia and Myanmar, there is a wealth of attractions for tourists to see and do in the region where people truly want to visit.
The World Cup will bring in enormous amounts of tourism revenue, which will improve the standard of living for many ASEAN citizens.
The Challenges of Hosting the World Cup in ASEAN
Political instability in ASEAN remains the biggest challenge to ASEAN hosting the World Cup. All ten countries have different political systems and political climates, and from now till 2034, multiple elections will take place with constant changes in policies every time a new government is in power, which FIFA will need to deal with.
Another challenge that could potentially have a greater effect on ASEAN countries is the cost of establishing and maintaining tournament venues. To put things in context, Qatar is said to have spent $200 billion on the World Cup this year. Brazil spent approximately US$15 billion to build stadiums, sporting facilities and transportation networks for the 2014 World Cup. Today, the most expensive stadium, Mane Garrincha, which cost US$550 million, is used as a bus parking lot. Russia spent US$14 billion to build new stadiums and refurbish sports facilities to host the 2018 World Cup. Now taxpayers have to cover the maintenance costs of the new stadiums.
ASEAN would then have to unite to make investments in the hopes that the revenue raised will more than cover the costs incurred in World Cup preparations.
A stadium must be able to accommodate 40,000 spectators or more in order to host a FIFA World Cup game. Malaysia has a competitive edge over the rest of the region in this area. There will be no problems meeting the FIFA requirements because the country has stadiums with capacities of over 80,000 people, including Bukit Jalil and Shah Alam in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor, respectively.
The security measures are another important element that need proper monitoring. Security and crowd control would need to be improved along with infrastructure barriers in order to prevent a recurrence of horrible occurrences, for instance, in Indonesia when more than 125 people were killed after supporters stormed the stadium during a league match in October. If the World Cup is to be held in ASEAN, the fans must show restraint, and security measures must be strengthened.
More importantly on the field, which country or countries will represent ASEAN at the World Cup? Historically, the hosting nation or nations of football’s showpiece event automatically qualify for the World Cup. Does this mean that all ten ASEAN countries will automatically qualify for the 2034 World Cup? Even though FIFA has expanded the number of teams participating, this surely will not and cannot happen?
A Joint ASEAN Team
A unified ASEAN team made up of the best ASEAN athletes would be the best course of action, much like the Great Britain team did when London hosted the 2012 Olympics. However, this raises questions about who should be on the committee that selects these athletes as well as how and who should be selected. If a team is selected from among all of the member nations, ASEAN can participate in the competition as a single unit.
Hosting the 2034 FIFA World Cup in ASEAN is feasible. It can greatly benefit the region and its people, but many questions need to be answered and significant work needs to be done and it needs to be done sooner rather than later.
But even so, it’s not a dream we should let go so lightly.
The upcoming sporting event that is going to take place in Birmingham 2022, which is officially regarded as Commonwealth Games will begin on 28th July 2022. This is going to be the 22nd season of the commonwealth games this year. In 2017 the official announcement was made that Birmingham will be hosting the 2022 edition of the contest. This is going to be the 3rd time that England is going to be the host of this contest after, the 2002 and 1934 editions.
The commonwealth games 2022 is going to be having 72 participating nations which will be representing their different players in various athletic sports, Barbados is going to take part for the first time in this contest. The opening ceremony will take be on the 27th of July and the closing ceremony will be on the 8th of August 2022. both the occasions will take place at Alexander Stadium. So let’s have a look at the details of this event here, Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games Schedule, Dates, And How To Get Tickets All You Need To Know
Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games Schedule
Commonwealth as we know is a multi-sport event that comprises various sporting categories, this year is going to have 283 games scheduled in 20 sports categories. There are going to be 15 venues where the entire contest is going to be spread in the city of Birmingham.
The games for this year’s Commonwealth 2022 games are as follows:
Aquatics
Diving
Swimming
Athletics
Badminton
3×3 basketball
Beach volleyball
Boxing
Cricket
Cycling
Mountain biking
Road
Track
Gymnastics
Artistic
Rhythmic
Judo
Field hockey
Lawn bowls
Netball
Para powerlifting
Rugby sevens
Squash
Table tennis
Triathlon
Weightlifting
Wrestling
We also have the Schedule of the Commonwealth games below, please have a look at it now,
Athletics and Para Athletics: Tuesday, August 2–Sunday, August 7
Badminton: Friday, July 29–Monday, August 8
Basketball and Wheelchair Basketball: Friday, July 29–Tuesday, August 2
Beach Volleyball: Saturday, July 30–Sunday, August 7
Boxing: Friday, July 29–Thursday, August 4, Saturday, August 6–Sunday, August 7
Cricket: Friday, July 29–Sunday, July 31, Tuesday, August 2–Thursday, August 4, Saturday, August 6–Sunday, August 7
Cycling–Mountain Bike: Wednesday, August 3
Cycling–Road Race: Sunday, August 7
Cycling–Time Trial: Thursday, August 4
Cycling–Track & Para Track: Friday, July 29–Monday, August 1
Diving: Thursday, August 4–Monday, August 8
Gymnastics–Artistic: Friday, July 29–Tuesday, August 2
Gymnastics–Rhythmic:Thursday, August 4–Saturday, August 6
Hockey: Friday, July29–Monday, August 8
Judo: Monday, August 1–Wednesday, August 3
Lawn Bowls and Para Lawn Bowls: Friday, July 29–Saturday, August 6
Marathon: Saturday, July 30
Netball: Friday, July 29–Sunday, August 7
Para Powerlifting: Thursday, August 4
Rugby Sevens: Friday, July 29–Sunday, July 31
Squash: Friday, July 29–Monday, August 8
Swimming and Para Swimming: Friday, July 29–Wednesday, August 3
Table Tennis and Para Table Tennis: Friday, July 29–Monday, August 8
Triathlon and Para Triathlon: Friday, July 29, Sunday, July 31
Weightlifting: Saturday, July 30–Wednesday, August 3
Wrestling: Friday, August 5–Saturday, August 6
How to But the Tickets for the Commonwealth Games?
As we know that it is going to be held in England and you still have a month for the games o begin, so you can buy the tickets as soon as possible from a reliable source, the information of which is available on the official website, before the ticket are all sold out. Last year the ticket had started going on sale from 14th July for the locals. The tickets are now available on a first-come, first-serve basis.
There are five categories for buying the tickets, category A tickets are closer to the action and hence are more expensive, whereas category E-tickets are further away so they are less expensive. The price of the tickets begins from £8 for those youngsters who are under 16. Meanwhile, for adults, the price is quoted to be £15. Those interested in attending the Commonwealth Games should book without any delays. Tickets are selling out in huge numbers already.
Masrahi wins Saudi Arabia’s maiden gold at the Asian Games
In a heart-stopping moment, Yousef Ahmed M Masrahi triumphed over a formidable field of competitors in the 400m final at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Stadium on September 30, successfully clinching Saudi Arabia’s maiden gold medal at the Asian Games.
The Masrahi Effect
Masrahi initially appeared to be in a disadvantageous position in the first 100 meters of the race; however, he persevered, quickened his pace, and soon found himself in the lead alongside Japanese competitors Kentaro Sato, Fuga Sato, and Bahraini Abbas Yusuf Abbas Ali.
It was a nail-biting battle between the top four sprinters, all of whom wanted to bring home the gold for their country, but perhaps even more so for Masrahi, whose country has yet to win an Asiad gold medal.
With only a few meters to run, Masrahi put up a good fight and unleashed his finishing kick to win the race in a time of 45.55 seconds. Kentaro Sato also pushed through and finished second in the race with a time of 45.57 seconds, while Abbas Yusuf Abbas Ali came in third with a time of 45.65.
Upon placing first in the competition and bagging his country’s first gold medal, Masrahi wept in celebration at the stadium. Congratulations also started pouring in for the Arab sprinter on X, including the official account of the 19th Asian Games Hangzhou 2022 who said, “ Congratulations to Masrahi Yousef Ahmed M for winning the first gold medal of Team Saudi Arabia at Hangzhou Asian Games. Masrahi Yousef Ahmed M took the lead in Athletics, Men’s 400m event with a result of 45.55.”
Congratulations to Masrahi Yousef Ahmed M for winning the first gold medal of Team Saudi Arabia at Hangzhou Asian Games.
— The 19th Asian Games Hangzhou Official (@19thAGofficial) September 30, 2023
As of October 2, Saudi Arabia is now in the 23rd spot on the Asiad medal table, with 1 gold medal, 1 silver medal, and 1 bronze medal.
Results:
1. MASRAHI Yousef Ahmed M (Saudi Arabia)- 45.55
2. SATO Kentaro (Japan)- 45.57
3. ALI Abbas Yusuf Abbas (Bahrain)- 45.65
4. SATO Fuga (Japan)- 45.70
5. VARIYATHODI Muhammed Ajmal (India)- 45.97
6. SINGHAPURAGE Aruna Dharshana (Sri Lanka)- 46.09
7. HEWA KUMARAGE Kalinga Kumarage (Sri Lanka)- 46.22
8. ABAKAR Ismail (Qatar)- 46.48
Masrahi is the current Asian record holder for the 400-meter sprint. He set the record of 43.93 seconds at the 400-m qualifying heats of the 2015 Beijing World Championships. Unfortunately, he was provisionally banned from competing for four years in 2016 after testing positive for drugs.
And after nine years of being out of the spotlight, Masrahi finally claimed another gold medal for his country. According to CGTN, he engaged with his Chinese admirers in the stands and took a selfie with their phones while yelling, “I love China!“.
“I really, really wanna say that from the middle of my heart, I love China,” Masrahi said.
