Commonwealth Games 'are coming to an end', believes ex-Jersey chief Paul du Feu

Jersey sent a team of 27 competitors to the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham

The former president of the Commonwealth Games Association of Jersey believes the multi-sport event could be coming to an end.

The Australian state of Victoria has cancelled plans to host the 2026 event while a bid for 2030 from Alberta in Canada has also been axed due to costs.

Paul du Feu, who led the CGAJ at the 2018 and 2022 games, feels it does not have the support among elite athletes.

"It'll be a pity, but I honestly think it is coming to an end," he said.

"[I say that] Just because of the professionals at the very, very top of sport - the pressure at the very, very top of sport is immense," he told BBC Radio Jersey's Sport Matters podcast.

"At the World Swimming Championships in Doha, masses of the world's best swimmers are not there because there's an Olympics this year.

"They're happy to miss the World Championships because they can't afford to miss the Olympics, so there's already a pecking order within the sport.

"The Commonwealth Games is way down the shopping list for those people."

The Games are the highest level of competition that sportspeople from Jersey can represent the island.

Jersey, along with fellow crown dependencies Guernsey and the Isle of Man, sends teams to the event every four years.

Guernsey won silver and bronze medals at Birmingham 2022, although Jersey has not won a medal since 1990 when shooter Colin Mallett won fullbore gold and took the fullbore pairs bronze medal with his father Cliff.

"For those specific sports who have it [just] every four years and they do get there, or they're trying to get there, it's a pity because it is just that bit higher," Du Feu added.