Challenges Facing Future Commonwealth and Olympic Games Hosts

The current challenges facing the organisers, the International Olympic Committee, and the numerous organisations, authorities, private sector entities, and individuals (both in Japan and internationally) in hosting the Olympic Games because of the Covid-19 pandemic have been the subject of almost daily media attention.

Although the pandemic has raised significant “new challenges” there have been, over the 125-year history of the Olympic Games, and over the 91-year history of the Commonwealth Games, many previous potential “show-stoppers” which have threatened the hosting of the Games.  Among these are amateurism/professionalism, war, political boycotts, doping, terrorism, climate extremes, financial capacity, and so on.

Despite the above, and with the exception of Games which were cancelled because of war, all past Olympic and Commonwealth Games have been held in the scheduled year, except the 2020 Tokyo Olympics which has been postponed until this year.  What does the future hold for yet-to-be-staged Olympic Games and Commonwealth Games?

Our speaker, Perry Crosswhite AM: "When a young American basketballer arrived in Melbourne in 1969, little did Australia know then that it was welcoming a man who would enjoy a stellar career, not only in the sporting arena but as a sports administrator for more than 40 years."  Quote John Wylie AM

Perry Crosswhite represented Australia in basketball in more than 300 international matches and at three Olympic Games, captaining the team at the 1976 and 1980 Olympics.

As an administrator, his record includes helping win the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games for Australia, helping secure the 2006 Commonwealth Games for Melbourne and the 2018 Commonwealth Games at the Gold Coast. He organised Australian teams for three Olympic Games - summer and winter – as well as five Commonwealth Games.

Perry was named Australian Sports Administrator of the Year in 1998, received an Australian Sports Medal in 2000, was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame as an administrator in 2003 and was recognised in 2007 with a Member of the Order of Australia for his service to sport.  He retired as Chief Executive of the Australian Commonwealth Games Association in 2015, after 17 years in that role.