Ex-council chief to chair Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games

A former Glasgow City Council chief executive is to take on a key role in delivering the Commonwealth Games in the city in 2026.

George Black has been appointed chairman of the Glasgow 2026 organising company, taking up the role with immediate effect.

He served as chief executive of the council for more than a decade between 2003 and 2014 - a role which saw him manage a workforce of more than 30,000 staff as well as leading the city's preparations for the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

With his appointment coming days after it was confirmed Glasgow will be the host city for a slimmed down Commonwealth Games in 2026, Mr Black said: "I am absolutely delighted to become the chair of Glasgow 2026 and looking forward to driving the vision for Glasgow 2026 from concept to reality."

Scaled back

The Games, which will take place between July 23 and August 2, will see competition in 10 sports at four venues across the city, with more than 500,000 tickets to be made available for spectators.

Athletics and swimming will feature, along with track cycling, gymnastics, netball, weightlifting, boxing, judo, bowls and 3x3 basketball.

There will also be integrated para events in six of those sports - athletics, swimming, track cycling, weightlifting, bowls and basketball.

But some sports present at the last Commonwealth Games in Birmingham in 2022 will not be involved in Glasgow, including triathlon, diving, hockey, T20 cricket, squash, badminton and rugby sevens.

'Critical moment'

Despite this, Mr Black said Glasgow 2026 will be a "fantastic festival of sport".

He added: "Whilst it will look and feel different to 2014, I have no doubt it will deliver world-class sporting action and fan experience with its own Glasgow twist."

It will be the first edition of the Games to run as a slimmed down model, after Glasgow stepped in as host when the Australian state of Victoria pulled out.

Mr Black continued: "Glasgow 2026 is a critical moment in the Commonwealth Games journey.

"It is a chance to set a blueprint for what is possible in future Games and to think differently.

"My focus will be to ensure that we deliver the very best experience for our athletes and fans, all within the timeframe and budget.

"Glasgow has a can-do attitude and Glasgow 2026 will have the same."

'Strong track record'

Ian Reid, chairman of Commonwealth Games Scotland, welcomed Mr Black to the role, saying: "He is no stranger to the Commonwealth Sport movement and I have every faith in his ability to lead the organising company to deliver a world-class sporting event.

"George knows the city well, has a very strong track record on managing major projects - including the Glasgow 2014 Games - and is incredibly fiscally astute.

"Glasgow 2026 has a clear target to deliver on budget but keep the high-quality delivery that we know and love of the Commonwealth Games.

"Leading the hugely experienced team in Glasgow, George will deliver. I look forward to working with him over the next two years."

'Reset and redefine the Games'

Commonwealth Games Federation chief executive Katie Sadleir said: "We are very pleased that a person with the credentials of George Black will be leading the organising company for the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games.

"Glasgow 2026 is an exciting first step in the Commonwealth Games Federation's journey to reset and redefine the Games as a truly collaborative, flexible, and sustainable model for the future that minimises costs, reduces the environmental footprint, and enhances social impact.

"Due to the different funding nature and timeline for these Games, the focus has been to create a Games that could be delivered to the highest quality in a financially sustainable way, designed to minimise risk and focusing on what matters most for athletes and sports - but it is still a significant task to deliver in less than two years."

She added it is "incredibly reassuring to have someone of the calibre of Black at the helm".

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