If the governing body for the Games had acted then it almost certainly would not be without a host city for its 2026 edition, nor would it have reached the point where its relevance had dissipated so much.

As this column has often addressed, the custodians of world championships and the range of Games that are contested periodically across the globe had become way too cosy with the lifestyle and trimmings - both personally and for their organisations - that emerged during a couple of decades when hosting events was seen to be very prestigious.

During that time, the world's great cities - and even some not so great - out-bid and out-grafted one another to try to get almost any event that had either world championships or Games in the title.

The bills for the bidding process were outrageous enough but all paled in comparison to the cost of actually staging the event, if successful.

But for a whole swag of reasons that novelty eventually wore off - and much more quickly than had been anticipated.

Many events now struggle to find a host city at all - let alone a couple of bidders from which they can choose the best option.

There is no better example than the Commonwealth Games. Birmingham will stage next year's edition but it was not originally named as the host - that honour first went to Durban in South Africa.

The portents for the CGF were not pleased when the South Africans announced they would not provide a velodrome - despite track cycling having long featured in the Games.

There was plenty of logic in the locals' decision-making process - most notably the cost and how often it might be used thereafter. But they were the only serious bidder and by then had received the nod, so they thought they had all the cards in their hands.

But it was not the only issue and over time the CGF realised it had no option but to withdraw the rights for Durban to host the Games.

It then had to find a replacement and that was not easy at relatively short notice. And, of course, this time the only willing and available option, Birmingham did have all the cards to play.

The 2022 Games are being delivered on the English city's terms but still respecting many of the traditional expectations and CGF requirements. But the normal timeline for finding and appointing the host for the following edition has long passed without any serious option emerging.

There was an illogical flirtation with the Canadian city of Hamilton which staged the first Empire Games in 1930 to get them on board for 2026 rather than waiting to celebrate the centenary four years later.

Adelaide looked a serious option for some time until the cost of meeting the CGF's expectations and the reluctance of AFL and cricket to give up a season at the Adelaide Oval put paid to that idea. Not even Christopher Pyne was able to fix that.

There have been others as well - including Perth, for a day or so, at least in the eyes of its Mayor Basil Zempilas, before Premier Mark McGowan knocked that possibility on the head.

Now it seems the penny has dropped at CGF headquarters on Pall Mall.

The Federation's general assembly last week approved new rules that will provide potential hosts with extraordinary flexibility in presenting a bid and then in delivering the Games.

Among all the sports, only athletics and swimming will be compulsory inclusions - and perhaps most significantly there will be no demand to provide an all-inclusive Athletes Village.

The cost of providing the infrastructure for all of the previously required sports and even more so that of a village with all its bells and whistles has been a massive turn-off for many prospective bidders - let alone of blowouts during the construction phase and the legacy question of ongoing usefulness.

There will even be the possibility of co-hosting across multiple cities, regions and countries.

Now that's talking!