CITY 'CAN'T AFFORD' TO HOST 2026 GAMES

Drug death crisis and housing emergency 'must come before' £540m sporting event

- CHRIS MCCALL

CAMPAIGNERS have questioned whether Glasgow can afford to host another Commonwealth Games after the last event in the city cost £543million.

It was revealed yesterday the sporting extravaganza could return to Scotland for the first time since 2014 if no other host nation can be found.

Organisers are struggling to find a city willing to take on the Games in two years' time, after Singapore, Malaysia and the Australian state of Victoria all ruled themselves out.

Commonwealth Games Scotland (CGS) has now claimed a "cost effective" event could be staged in Glasgow for between £130milion and £150million.

Ian Reid, CGS chair, claimed yesterday the event could return without "significant sums of public funding" if established sporting venues are used and the number of sports scaled back.