The Commonwealth Games remains the stage “where champions are made”, the chief executive of the multi-sport event said on the eve of the reduced edition in Glasgow.
The 10-and-six-sport event – up from a program of 19-and-8 games four years ago in Birmingham – begins on Thursday and King Charles will attend the opening ceremony to declare the Games open.
The Games were thrown into disarray when the Australian state of Victoria withdrew as host in July 2023, citing rising costs.
Glasgow also played host 12 years ago and was therefore in a position to offer a reduced format solution using existing venues to reduce costs to the taxpayer.
“We had that dark cloud over us not having the Games, but Glasgow came through. Brave Scotland as we say,” Dr Donald Rukare, president of the Commonwealth Games, said.
First held 96 years ago, the Commonwealth Games evolved from the British Empire Games and now includes 74 nations and territories, mainly countries that were once under British rule.
