Commonwealth Games organisers urged to name Glasgow 2026 event after Sir Chris Hoy – as six-time Olympic champion reveals his terminal cancer diagnosis

First Minister John Swinney has backed calls for the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow to pay fitting tribute to Scottish sporting legend Sir Chris Hoy.

Speaking to Mail Sport at the official launch yesterday, Swinney said he would be ‘very supportive’ of the idea of the event being known as the ‘Sir Chris Hoy Games’ after the six-time Olympic champion revealed his terminal cancer diagnosis last weekend.

The world of rugby embraced the late Doddie Weir after his MND diagnosis, with Scotland and Wales playing for the ‘Doddie Weir Cup’ and raising much-needed funds and awareness of the disease.

Something similar for Hoy would no doubt do the same for prostate cancer — and be backed fully by the Commonwealth family as a legacy for the 48-year-old Scot.

‘I would be very supportive of the Games being referred to as the “Sir Chris Hoy Games”,’ said the First Minister. ‘I feel totally vexed for Chris Hoy and for his family.

‘The situation they face is being borne with the exceptional courage all of us have come to appreciate and value from Chris Hoy and I couldn’t admire him more for how he has handled and communicated the news.’

 Scots cycling great Sir Chris Hoy and his wife Sarra

Hoy delivers the Commonwealth Games baton during the opening ceremony at Glasgow 2014

The Sir Chris Hoy velodrome will once again be a key venue at another major sporting event 

First Minister John Swinney expressed his sympathy with Hoy and his wife Sarra

Sir Chris Hoy celebrates winning a gold medal in the keirin at the 2008 Beijing Olympics

Hoy retired from competitive cycling in 2013, missing out on competing in the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow the following year, but his legacy lives on — not only in the Sir Chris Hoy velodrome built for the track cycling event in 2014, but in the vast amount of work he has carried out in terms of promoting cycling and sport throughout Scotland.

His revelation last weekend that he has been given between two to four years to live since learning of his fate last September, prompted a huge increase in online searches about cancer — lifting them to their highest level since the announcement in February and March of the Royals’ respective diagnoses.

In fact, visits to the website of Macmillan Cancer Support were 34 per cent higher than the average Sunday over the previous year, and its online pages about prostate cancer received 1,600 hits, an increase of 132 per cent on the typical Sunday web traffic.

The charity believes Hoy’s decision to be open about his diagnosis could now save lives by encouraging people to see their doctor about concerning symptoms.

Swinney was also conscious the Hoys were having to come to terms with the revelation that his wife, Sarra, has multiple sclerosis.

The First Minister’s own wife, Elizabeth, was diagnosed with MS many years ago.

‘Obviously, I am very conscious his family have also had to come to terms with the diagnosis that his wife has MS,’ he continued. ‘Which is obviously a situation with which I have great familiarity. So, my heart goes out to them.’

Scottish Secretary Ian Murray, meanwhile, also said Hoy should be recognised at the Games, saying: ‘I’m sure there will be, quite rightly, a fitting tribute to Sir Chris Hoy, at not just the Commonwealth Games, but other sporting events held around Glasgow and Scotland.’

Jon Doig, the chief executive of Commonwealth Games Scotland, says discussions will now take place with Hoy over ‘what might be appropriate at this time’.

‘In terms of the news of Chris, he has been part of our Commonwealth Games family,’ said Doig. ‘I was on the first team with him in 1998 and, from our point of view, all the love and support we can give to Sir Chris and his family at this particular time, we do.

‘We’ll obviously have discussions with Chris about what is appropriate at this time.

Confirmation of Glasgow’s downsized Games was confirmed along with the selected sports

Hoy celebrates team sprint gold with Craig Maclean and Ross Edgar at Melbourne 2006

The logo for the 2026 showpiece was also unveiled along with the full programme of sports

The news that Hoy has between two to four years to live has hit the world of Scottish sport hard

‘It’s obvious it’s a very private moment. Chris was a key part of our games in 2014 in terms of the Queen’s baton, he was one of our village Mayors, he has the Velodrome named after him, so engaging Chris in the manner which he would want will be a discussion we will take forward.’

Scotland and Team GB gymnast Cameron Lynn, who competed at Birmingham 2022, finishing fifth, told Mail Sport that marking Sir Chris in such a manner would be fitting after years of inspiring others in the world of sport.

‘For me, Chris Hoy is an athlete I’ve looked up to my whole life,’ he said. ‘My mum and dad always took me to cycling at his velodrome and I think it would be an honour for it to be named the Sir Chris Hoy Games.

‘I would definitely second that. One hundred per cent.

‘The news about his diagnosis is just heartbreaking. A tear came to our eyes when we heard about it.

‘We’ve watched him grow and grow throughout his career and it’s a horrible, horrible thing for him to have.’

Crystelle Lake, who also hopes to compete for Team Scotland in the artistic gymnastics event at Glasgow 2026, said she had been ‘incredibly inspired’ by the way Hoy has handled his situation.

‘He’s such a great inspiration,’ said the 20-year-old. ‘A brilliant role model in the way he’s being so positive about it.

‘It’s scary to think when you train so hard your whole life and then end up with a condition like that. I suppose you have to take it on the chin and think positively. That’s what he has done and I find that so inspiring. I would absolutely be up for the Sir Chris Hoy Games.’

The Glasgow Games were officially launched yesterday after months of wrangling over finance and budgetary constraints.

Doig said it felt ‘fantastic’ to finally see the event coming to fruition.

‘It has been almost 12 months since we started the discussions about bringing the Games back through to Glasgow,’ said Doig.

‘A lot of hard work in terms of the concept and to be here just under 12 months later is really gratifying.

‘The reaction we’ve had from athletes, they’re really excited about the Games coming back, and not only that, but about the future of the Games, Glasgow being here for 2026 and going forward for 2030 and beyond.’