First Minister calls for Commonwealth Games to be named after cycling hero Sir Chris Hoy as celebs back tribute
CELEBS have joined First Minister John Swinney in throwing their weight behind calls to dedicate the Commonwealth Games to Sir Chris Hoy.
Mr Swinney paid tribute to the six-time gold medallist for his “exceptional courage” in the face of a terminal cancer diagnosis.
It came as Glasgow was officially confirmed as the host city for the 2026 event, having stepped in after the Australian state of Victoria pulled out due to spiralling costs.
The Games are set to take place across four venues between July 23 and August 2, 2026, but it will be a much slimmed-down version in contrast to previous extravaganzas.
A programme of 10 sports, including athletics and swimming, as well as track cycling, boxing and gymnastics, will feature – but events such as hockey, diving, squash and badminton have been dropped.
The announcement came just days after Sir Chris revealed that doctors have given him between two and four years to live.
When asked during a Commonwealth Games media event in Glasgow if he would support the idea of a “Sir Chris Hoy” Games, Mr Swinney told journalists: “Yes, I’m very supportive of that. I feel totally vexed for Chris Hoy and for his family.
“The situation they face has been borne with the exceptional courage that all of us have come to appreciate and value from Chris Hoy, and I couldn’t admire him more for how he’s handled and communicated the news.
“Obviously, I’m very conscious that his family have also had to come to terms with the diagnosis that his wife has MS, which is obviously a situation with which I have great familiarity.
“So, my heart goes out to them and I would be very supportive of the Games being referred to as the Chris Hoy Games.”
And his support was backed by a host of famous Scots.
Greatest Hits Radio presenter Ken Bruce, 73, said: “I think it’s a brilliant idea.
“Chris is one of Scotland’s greatest ever sportsmen and has always been an inspirational figure.
“Even more so now since his diagnosis, reacting with typical determination in facing the future.”
Braveheart legend James Cosmo, 76, said: “I wholeheartedly endorse the proposal to name the next Commonwealth Games in honour of Sir Chris Hoy.
“He has been an exemplary sportsman who has inspired a great many young athletes. Modesty and courage are the mark of a great man. Please support the proposal.”
TalkSPORT presenter Shebahn Aherne, 33, said: “Thinking about Chris’s illness brings a lump to my throat. Not just for his achievements but for everything he represents as a person.
Scotland's slimmed-down games
Here are the sports from the 2014 Commonwealth Games - compared to which sports are in the 2026 event.
- Diving No
- Swimming Yes
- Athletics Yes
- Marathon No
- Badminton No
- Boxing Yes
- Mountain biking No
- Road cycling No
- Track cycling Yes
- Artistic gymnastics Yes
- Rhythmic gymnastics No
- Hockey No
- Judo Yes
- Bowls Yes
- Netball Yes
- Rugby sevens No
- Shooting No
- Squash No
- Table tennis No
- Triathlon No
- Weightlifting Yes
- Wrestling No
Plus 3×3 basketball in 2026 which wasn’t a sport in 2014
“That’s why naming the next Commonwealth Games after him just seems like the right thing to do for someone who has done so much for sport and made every Scot feel so incredibly proud.”
‘A real sporting hero and icon’
TV favourite Grado also backed the plan to honour the tragic cycle star.
Grado, 36, real name Graeme Stevely, said: “For me, Sir Chris Hoy is a true national treasure. A real sporting hero and icon.
“He is arguably Scotland’s best ever athlete and has been an inspiration for so many. So naming the games after him is only fitting for someone who has done so much for the country.”
Bay City Rollers legend Stuart “Woody” Wood reckons renaming the games would hit all the right notes with fans.
“Naming the games after him is only fitting for someone who has done so much for the country.”
Grado
Stuart, 66, said: “This is a great campaign for an amazing Scottish champion. Let’s hope we can make it happen. Here’s to The Chris Hoy Commonwealth Games becoming a reality.”
And MasterChef: The Professionals winner Gary Maclean also wants to see the games in his home city rebranded.
Gary, 52, said: “Naming the Glasgow Commonwealth Games after Sir Chris Hoy would honour a true Scottish hero.”
Team GB legend Sir Chris, 48, won six Olympic, 11 world and 43 World Cup titles by the time he retired in 2013.
He had been expected to compete at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, but said he had used “every last ounce of energy and effort” at the 2012 Olympics in London.
In the run-up to the 2014 Games, Sir Chris carried the Commonwealth baton from its starting point at St James’ Palace to Buckingham Palace in London ahead of the start of its relay.
He then went on to deliver the baton to The Queen during the opening ceremony at Celtic Park on July 23, 2014.
His tally of six Olympic gold medals is the second-highest total by any British Olympics behind Sir Jason Kenny who won seven.
Glasgow will be ready
JOHN Swinney yesterday insisted Glasgow “will be ready” in time for the Commonwealth Games – despite fears over the state of the city.
Concerns have previously been raised over the cleanliness of the city centre, with business owners and union chiefs having called for a “deep clean” before visitors descend in two years’ time for the Games.
It also emerged earlier this month that major construction work aimed at transforming the area is due to last until at least 2028 – with large parts of Sauchiehall Street currently ripped up as part of the project.
But, speaking to journalists yesterday at an event in Glasgow officially confirming Glasgow as the host city for the Games, the First Minister expressed his confidence in Glasgow being in a fit state by then.
The SNP’s Glasgow City Council leader Susan Aitken had also been due to speak with reporters at the event, but left the SEC Armadillo before doing so.
Mr Swinney said: “Obviously, in any city at any given time there is capital works underway to ensure that there’s an enhancement of public facilities and the public realm, and Glasgow’s no different in that respect.
“And obviously the timing of these Games has come upon us with a much shorter preparatory period than we would normally have had.
“It was one of the issues that I wanted to be absolutely satisfied about that there would be enough preparatory time, given the fact that we had seven years to prepare for 2014 and we’ve got just short of two years to prepare for 2026. So, I think the city will be ready.”
An indoor velodrome, based in Glasgow’s east end, was named after Sir Chris when it opened in 2012, with the venue playing a key role in the 2014 Games.
At the event yesterday at the SEC Armadillo in Glasgow, organisers officially confirmed the city would host the Games.
Scottish Secretary Ian Murray was also asked by journalists whether he would support a “Sir Chris Hoy Games”.
He said: “I would leave that to the organisers, but I’m sure there will be quite rightly a fitting tribute to Sir Chris Hoy at not just the Commonwealth Games, but at other sporting events that are held in Glasgow and Scotland.”
The idea was also backed by politicians from across the parties at the Scottish Parliament.
“Naming the Glasgow Commonwealth Games after Sir Chris Hoy would honour a true Scottish hero.”
Scottish Lib Dem leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said: “It wouldn’t hurt to ask Chris and his family how they feel about this but if they are game then this sounds like a wonderful way to pay tribute to one of Scotland’s greatest ever Olympians.
“I hope that his sporting achievements will have a long legacy in this country and his frankness in speaking out about his cancer diagnosis will encourage more men to get checked.”
And Scottish Tory MSP Annie Wells said: “This would be a fitting tribute to one of our most legendary athletes.
“I am happy to back these calls for the event to be named in his honour.”
Axed sport frustration
SPORTS organisation bosses expressed their frustrations at the scaled-down event meaning that there will be just 10 sports – down from the 17 which were contested at the 2014 Games in Glasgow.
It will see hockey cut from the programme, despite a national hockey centre having been built for the last Games at a cost of £5million.
Scottish Hockey chief executive Derek Keir said: “We are deeply disappointed that hockey won’t feature in Glasgow 2026. Hockey enjoys representation from a wide diversity of people, and Commonwealth nations, and Scottish Hockey worked hard to lobby alongside a number of other Commonwealth Nations and the (International Hockey Federation).
“Fundamentally we are so disappointed for our players, officials, and support staff who will miss out on the experience.”
Keith Russell, chief executive of Badminton Scotland, said it was “very disappointing” for the sport not to be included in the 2026 Games.
He added: “It is particularly difficult for our players who work incredibly hard and will have been looking forward to competing in a Commonwealth Games which would be a highlight of their careers.
“However, hopefully with CGS (Commonwealth Games Scotland) and Glasgow hosting the event in 2026 it will secure the event for future editions and our players will be able to look forward to competing in the Commonwealth Games in 2030.”
Diving will also be excluded from the Games, which was hosted at the Royal Commonwealth Pool in Edinburgh in 2014.
A spokesperson for Scottish Swimming said: “We acknowledge the difficult decisions for the organisers in identifying sports this time around while a new model for future games is being developed, and our diving community will undoubtedly feel disappointed that diving won’t be included in these Games. We recognise their dedication and will continue to support them in other competitive arenas.”
Around 3,000 athletes from up to 74 Commonwealth nations and territories are expected to compete at the 2026 Games.
It is not expected that the programme of sports will be cut to below 10, however, Mr Swinney said that the scale of an event as seen in 2014 had “probably had its day”.
Asked whether any potential increase in costs could lead to the Games being further scaled down, he said: “That’s obviously to be avoided, but what that puts is the onus on making sure that there is effective financial control in place around the preparation of the Games. That is what I know the board will be focusing on.”
The First Minister also ruled out the possibility of any public cash being used to help fund the Games.
He said: “We have secured assurance on both the preparatory time and also on the control of costs, that there will be no call on the public purse and, indeed, there cannot be a call on the public purse by the agreement that we have negotiated. I am confident the public purse is protected.”