Tim Hollingsworth spoke at the National Sport Convention in Melbourne last month about the legacies that global events can leave ©Sport England

Sport England chief executive Tim Hollingsworth has claimed Australia can still create a sporting legacy in the run-up to the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, despite Victoria withdrawing as host of the 2026 Commonwealth Games.

Writing exclusively for insidethegames Hollingsworth described Victoria State Premier Daniel Andrews’ decision to withdraw Victoria as 2026 host because the event was "all cost and no benefit" as "myopic."

Hollingsworth spoke on the topic Global Mega Events and Their Legacy as part of the National Sport Convention in Melbourne, Australia, held last month.

The conference was attended by more than one thousand delegates from the sports sector across Oceania.

"The Australians may not have Victoria 2026 now to build towards but they are still the venue for several major events in the years ahead before hosting the ultimate in the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games," Hollingsworth wrote.

"My opportunity, having had the privilege of being very closely involved with them all, was to reflect on what lessons we have learned in the UK from London 2012 through to more recent events such as the Rugby League World Cup, the Women’s European Football Championships and of course, Birmingham 2022. 

Australia previously hosted the Commonwealth Games in 2018, when it was staged in the Gold Coast ©Getty Images
Australia previously hosted the Commonwealth Games in 2018, when it was staged in the Gold Coast ©Getty Images

"My purpose was to show that done right, the opposite of Mr Andrews’ assertion can be the case.

"There are real sustained benefits that can be achieved especially for the local communities around the Games once the highs of the athlete performances have calmed and the travelling Games circus left town."

Australia is currently co-hosting the FIFA Women’s World Cup with New Zealand and is due to host World Championships in canoe slalom in 2025 and BMX cycling in 2026.

More World Cups are due to follow over the next three-year period, in the form of netball in 2027, the men’s T20 Cricket World Cup in 2028 and Rugby World Cups for men in 2027 and women in 2029.

"Australia must recognise the opportunity they have ahead and the catalyst the next decade can be to sustained positive change," Hollingsworth writes.

"They must recognise that while cost will always be an issue for any major event - and where politicians will always be balancing the needs of their community - it can be more than outweighed by the real, tangible lasting benefits that can be achieved."

Read more in today’s guest blog from Tim Hollingsworth here.