Seven nations plan 2030 & 2034 Commonwealth bids
Fears that Glasgow 2026 might be the last-ever Commonwealth Games have been alleviated after seven nations lodged official expressions of interest to host in 2030 or 2034.Scotland's largest city stepped in last year with plans for a scaled-back Games next summer after the Australia state of Victoria withdrew for financial reasons.Those proposed changes to the event - fewer sports, fewer athletes, fewer venues - have lessened the cost and enticed other potential hosts to look at future stagings. Canada, India, Nigeria, plus two others have all publicly confirmed their interest in the centenary Games in 2030, while New Zealand are one of two nations looking at the 2034 edition.In January, the 74 Commonwealth nations were invited to lodge notes of interest and the seven who responded positively - all from Africa, Asia, the Americas, and Oceania - will have the feasiblity of their bids examined over the next five months.It is expected that the hosts of the 2030 Games will be finalised in November.Commonwealth Sport chief executive Katie Sadleir said: "We are thrilled with the incredible interest from four of our six regions."We cannot understate the hugely-significant role Scotland has played, having the foresight, tenacity and innovative thinking to step forward and host in 2026. "We are confident that Glasgow's pioneering example will increase the breadth of countries able to host the Games in the decades ahead."Phil Batty, chief executive of Glasgow 2026, said the news shows that next summer's Games will be "a pivotal moment" in the event's history."I have every confidence Glasgow 2026 will pioneer a new model for the major event - one that delivers a successful Games on time, on budget and with high-quality sport at the heart of the experience," he added.
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Judy - who has now created 'Learn To Lead', a new leadership and empowerment programme for girls in primary school - has long been critical of the lack of access to indoor tennis courts in Scotland, which allow people to play tennis all year round. She told Mail Sport she remained 'disappointed' that the country appears not to have 'taken advantage' of her sons' period of success - and maintained that the volume of players now coming through the ranks was 'very tough to swallow'. 'I will always be disappointed Scotland didn't take advantage of the huge opportunity they had for many years when Jamie and Andy were at the top of the world game,' said Judy. 'They were both Grand Slam champions, they were both world No 1s. They were front page and back page news. 'Their success developed an enormous fan base for tennis in Scotland because the country had two of its own to follow in the major events. With all that going on, we should have been able to take that profile and that fan engagement and bring in sponsors and create opportunities with programmes and facilities. 'What I tried to do when the boys were at the top of the game was (set up) my own 'Tennis On The Road' programme, and my own foundation. 'Tennis On The Road was about taking tennis into rural and disadvantaged areas across Scotland and building workforces around parents and volunteers. 'It was investing in adults to grow the game, but it was also very much about showing them what space they had, what courts they had, and making it accessible and affordable in those areas. Taking it into places where tennis didn't exist or where there was limited activity. It was Murray's sheer dedication as a young parent that helped her boys Jamie and Andy get on the ladder to enormous success 'That was a huge, huge part of what I did, the length and breadth of the country. 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A spokesperson told Mail Sport: 'We now have 151 indoor courts in Scotland - including five currently under construction - which is 39 more since Sir Andy Murray won Wimbledon in 2016. 'Talks are ongoing with various partners over more indoor centres, which we hope to announce soon. 'In the past three years, we have also refurbished 163 public courts in parks around Scotland, at a cost of £2.5million in partnership with the LTA and UK Government.'
