The figure, which includes the period of the highly successful 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, compares with a far smaller deficit of £112,532 ($173,307/€154,334) the previous year.

Audited accounts to be presented at this week’s CGF General Assembly in Auckland, New Zealand, and seen by insidethegames, show that the body’s expenses climbed to £4.7 million ($7.2 million/€6.4 million) against just under £3.3 million ($5.1 million/€4.5 million) in the corresponding year-earlier period.

While salaries and national insurance jumped some 25 per cent to £686,000 ($1 million/€942,000) the chief component in the increase was a £1.49 million ($2.29 million/€2.04 million) rebate paid to Glasgow 2014 Limited.

Notes to the accounts explain: “The host city contract pertaining to the 2014 Commonwealth Games provided for a substantial rebate to the Organising Committee upon it fulfilling, to the CGF’s satisfaction, its obligations under the [contract] and in particular as they relate to transfer of knowledge.”

Revenue for the latest year was a little more than half that received in the year to 31 March, 2014 at £1.64 million ($2.5 million/€2,25 million), compared with £3.18 million ($4.89 million/€4.36 million). 

The vast majority of this - £1.52 million ($2.33 million/€2.08 million) – came from the Organising Committee for the 2018 Commonwealth Games to be staged on the Gold Coast of Queensland in Australia.

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