THE COMMONWEALTH GAMES have been cancelled in a shock twist - leaving its future in turmoil.
The next edition of the iconic sporting event was due to be staged in Victoria in 2026.
But Premier Daniel Andrews confirmed the axing of the Games due to rising debts for the Australian state - and said it was "not a difficult decision".
And Commonwealth Games organisers were given just EIGHT hours' notice before the news broke.
Victoria were only awarded the event last year.
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That came after none of the 72 nations involved put a bid forward to host the 2026 edition.
And Andrews said: "What's become clear is the cost of hosting these games is not the $2.6billion [£1.35bn] which was allocated, it is at least $6billion [£3.12bn] or $7billion [£3.64bn].
"I will not take money out of hospitals and schools in order to fund an event that is three times the cost as estimated and budgeted for last year."
An unnamed source told Sky News the stunning cancellation was the "biggest reputational setback since the collapse of the state bank in Victoria" in 1990.
Victoria's state debt looks set to hit £70bn next year and then £88bn within the next three years.
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A fuming Commonwealth Games Federation released a statement slamming the Victorian withdrawal.
The CGF said: "We are disappointed that we were only given eight hours' notice and that no consideration was given to discussing the situation to jointly find solutions prior to this decision being reached by the government.
"Up until this point, the government had advised that sufficient funding was available to deliver the Victoria 2026 Commonwealth Games."
The Games were due to be staged across the state in Geelong, Bendigo, Ballarat, Gippsland and Shepparton from March 17 to 29.
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It is the first time the Commonwealths have been axed - except during World War Two - in its 91-year history.
However, it is the latest calamity for the event following Durban being stripped of the 2022 hosting rights as Birmingham stepped in.
Kuala Lumpur, Cardiff, Calgary, Edmonton and Adelaide all withdrew their interest in hosting the 2026 Games over cost concerns.
The next edition is now in jeopardy with no one ready to host the event, which will be King Charles' first Games since succeeding Queen Elizabeth II as the head of the Commonwealth.
Sports broadcaster Bruce McAvaney labelled the announcement an "embarrassment" and a "big shock" before admitting the event could end completely.
Former Australian netball star Jill McIntosh added: "Netball does not have the Olympics. The Commonwealth Games are a big deal.
"In netball, the majority of countries are part of the Commonwealth, so for us, it's like a world championship.
"It would be extremely sad for sports that are non-Olympics [if Games scrapped completely].
"We look forward to them every four years. They're our big world events. It would be not an idea situation for netball."
