Spare a thought for those wanting to catch some elite squash or international lawn bowls… the Commonwealth Games are still stateless after the Gold Coast withdrew its bid to host the event in 2026. The search for a new host city was kicked off when former Victorian Premier Dan Andrews withdrew from the plan to hold the Games in regional Victoria earlier this year, and speculation quickly turned to the Gold Coast, which was the location of the 2018 Games. Gold Coast mayor Tom Tate was gung-ho on a bid for the 2026 Games, but Queensland and the federal government were not going to stump up the cash required to make it work, so Tate admitted defeat yesterday. Boss of the Comm Games in Australia Craig Phillips thanked Tate for his efforts. As for whether the 2026 Games will go ahead, he says “conversations continue on 4 continents including here at home”…