The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) Executive Board met in Birmingham, England from 20-22 June 2018. The 2021 Commonwealth Youth Games was discussed and the following statement outlines the CGF’s latest position on the host city process.
Commonwealth Games Federation President Louise Martin CBE said: “The CGF Executive Board empathises with the ongoing circumstances surrounding Northern Ireland’s legislative Assembly and Executive and has maintained a collaborative dialogue with our colleagues in Belfast about their ambitions to stage the Commonwealth Youth Games.
However, with no funding guarantees in place, the CGF Executive Board expressed its disappointment to the Northern Ireland Commonwealth Games Council and resolved to begin discussions and invite expressions of interest from other Commonwealth cities who wish to build on the successes of Samoa 2015 and Bahamas 2017 and host the 2021 edition of the Youth Games.
Belfast will be able to re-submit its candidature for 2021, or may wish to postpone its ambitions for a future edition. However, alternative cities and their respective Commonwealth Games Associations will now be given the opportunity to work with the CGF to develop impactful, cost- effective more information that bring to life the event’s vision to inspire and engage up to 1000 of the Commonwealth’s finest young athletes in a festival of sport, development and global friendship.
The host city selection process begins with immediate effect and is expected to take around six months”.