The "survival prospects" of the Commonwealth Games are "a lot healthier than those of some of the newspapers writing them off," according to Wayne Smith of THE AUSTRALIAN. Edmonton, Canada and Durban, South Africa are "locked in an arm-wrestle to stage the 2022 Games." Durban is "the first African city to bid." That is a "rarity, a bidding battle." Unlike the IOC, the Commonwealth Games Federation "usually has to prod its wealthier members" to come up with a candidate city. Now the contenders are "queuing out the door." Wales is "ready to go again in 2026" while Adelaide, Australia is "quietly manoeuvring to make its run" for the either 2030 or 2034 edition. Gold Coast Organizing Committee CEO Mark Peters' greatest concern is "not that he will inherit at the closing ceremony a shrinking product but rather a half-sized Olympic Games." By his estimate, more than 5,000 athletes from 71 countries will compete on the Gold Coast in '18 (THE AUSTRALIAN, 8/4).
UNDER REVIEW: In Melbourne, Chris Barrett reported this year's event has been Australia's "worst overall performance" since '86, the "first time since they were last in Scotland that year that top spot on the medal table has been relinquished." What will follow is "introspection and inquiry, although not high alarm." Australian Chef de Mission Steve Moneghetti "consistently said over the previous 11 days" that medal counts are not the "be all and end all, just numbers on a piece of paper." Yet under the federal government's "aspirational post-London funding policy, they're just about everything." It is why the sporting teams that "bombed out in Glasgow will be under the microscope in the near future" (THE AGE, 8/3). In Sydney, Michael Gleeson reported Athletics Australia has launched a "board level review into all aspects of the Commonwealth Games after the embarrassment of the Eric Hollingsworth affair." Athletics Australia President David Grace said, "This review will look at the whole of the team prep. Look at issues of management of athletes, the pre-camp, the concept of pre-camp, the selection of the team, all aspects." He said that the board would "conduct the review with the high performance department" (SYDNEY MORNING HERALD, 8/3).
BOLT TO RETIRE IN '17: NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA's Iain Payten reported sprinter Usain Bolt "charmed the Glasgow crowd" with a Gold Medal-winning show "before delivering a massive blow to the organisers of Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games soon after." He said he plans to retire in '17. Bolt: "I have always said that after Rio I wanted to retire but they keep saying I should go onto 2017 (world championship in London), so I think I might just do that, so that will be my last championship" (NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA, 8/3).
