Express & Star

Saying ‘no’ to Commonwealth Games replay was right call

The question had to be asked.

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Performers around the Raging Bull during the opening ceremony of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games

No sooner had Victoria ditched plans to host the 2026 Commonwealth Games, eyes turned to the city and region which did an excellent job of staging the event 12 months ago.

Anyone fancy an encore? The short and swift answer, from the offices of West Midlands mayor Andy Street and Birmingham City Council, was no.

“We’d encourage other cities to bid,” was the response from the latter. That may be disappointing for those eager to relive the heady days of last summer but for numerous reasons it feels the right call.

Yes, Birmingham 2022 was fantastic, yet one of the reasons for that was the knowledge it was a rare, at least once-in-a-generation event. Replaying it four years later would feel a little odd.