The decision not only plunged the future of the 2026 edition into doubt but the Games as whole.

But in September 2024 a deal, backed by the Scottish government, was agreed for Glasgow to host “a scaled back, but high-quality” event.

It will be staged across four venues along an eight-mile stretch – Scotstoun Stadium, Tollcross International Swimming Centre, Glasgow International Arena and the Scottish Event Campus (SEC).

In 2014 the budget for the Games was £543m but no public money has been spent on the 23rd edition, which will cost £150m in total.

The CGF is investing £100m of this, with the remainder coming from commercial revenue streams such as ticketing, sponsorship, broadcast rights and merchandise.

Athletics, cycling and swimming have proved the most popular but tickets are still available for many events.

Given the Games on this occasion has been stripped back somewhat, comparisons with previous events would be unfair.

So there will be no medal target.

“We don’t talk about medals but I’d be stood here lying to you if I said it wouldn’t be incredible,” said Team Wales chef de mission Gethin Jones.

“I’ve got some flags in my bags, just in case that happens, so I can whip them out.

“What I can say is every single one of the athletes are here to represent Wales with pride and passion. I know they’ll leave absolutely everything out there.”

Jones says it is about giving Team Wales the chance to perform at their best.

“A lot of people talk about success,” said Jones.

“Within the teams, they have their own conversations.

“As Team Wales, it’s about giving them the opportunity to succeed and success is being able to deliver your best performance on the day when it matters, under pressure, with the whole world watching

“If they do that, I don’t think you can ask for much more.

“If you get a personal best, that is success for me, it is about making sure they’re given the environment to be able to do that.

“We’ll be proud of them whatever, because we know the sacrifices, work and dedication they’ve put in. So I know they’re raring to go.”

Wales chose a high-profile chef de mission in the television presenter but it is not an ambassadorial role with Jones helping Team Wales creating a little bit of home in a hotel in Scotland.

“After all the preparation over the past 18 months and more, it’s fantastic for the team to be here,” said Jones.

“We’ve hit the ground running. It feels like we’ve been here for a month trying to get everything ready.

“There’s much work to do to make sure all the logistics, preparation and rooms are ready for when the athletes arrive.”

Netball reputedly has 13 million players globally. England has the most active players of all countries with three million, and Africa has the most of all continents.

Traditionally, a Commonwealth-centric sport, there is no mistaking Glasgow 2026 is a major occasion for netball.

At the same time, the Commonwealth Games is grappling for survival, amid concerns over hosting costs and growing questions about relevancy to the modern world given its foundations in Britain’s colonial past.

The event remains “hugely important to netball”, World Netball president Dame Liz Nicholl told BBC Sport, pointing out over 150,000 tickets were sold for netball at Birmingham 2022.

“We strongly support the Commonwealth Games and want to see it thrive,” she said. “But the future of netball cannot depend on one event.”

Chelsea Pitman, a Commonwealth gold medallist with England in 2018 and now head coach at Nottingham Forest, told BBC Sport: “We need it. If the Olympics becomes part of netball, [it would be] absolutely amazing. But Commonwealth Games allows netball to be part of a multi-sport, massive masterpiece of sport. There’s nothing like it.”

England head coach Anna Stembridge agrees, telling BBC Sport: “It’s a really important part of our history… a really important part of our four-year cycle.”

There’s another stumbling block: netball is no longer guaranteed a Commonwealth Games platform, with only athletics and swimming now designated as core sports.

Netball is mindful of all possibilities and one alteration is that the quadrennial World Cup is going biennial from next year.

But the campaign for inclusion in the 2032 Olympics is also gathering pace, with a decision expected soon.

“Achieving Olympic inclusion would be a very important moment in the sport’s history,” said Dame Liz, a former Wales netball international who was UK Sport CEO from 2010 to 2019.

She believes the knock-on effects of netball getting the nod from the IOC could “future-proof it for the generations to come”.

“To be in the Olympics is an ambition for every athlete and, if ever there is a chance, it is now,” she said.

“We must demonstrate strong governance, global reach, compelling events and alignment with the Olympic movement’s priorities.

“We believe netball has a very strong case and can make a meaningful contribution to Brisbane 2032.”

From two waste paper bins and a ball in a Kent college to the Olympic stage?

Tack, Madame Osterberg.