Commonwealth games

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Current flag of the Commonwealth Games Federation

Locations of the games, and participating countries

The Commonwealth Games is a multi-sport event held every four years involving the elite athletes of the Commonwealth of Nations. The first such event, then known as the British Empire Games, was held in 1930. The name changed to British Empire and Commonwealth Games in 1954, to British Commonwealth Games in 1970 and assumed the current name of the Commonwealth Games in 1978.

As well as many Olympic sports, the Games also include some sports that are played mainly in Commonwealth countries, such as lawn bowls, rugby sevens and netball. There are currently 53 Commonwealth nations and 71 participating teams.

Attendance at the Commonwealth Games is typically around 5,000 athletes, which makes it one of the largest international sporting events in terms of participants.

The four constituent countries of the United Kingdom—England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland—send separate teams to the Commonwealth Games, and individual teams are also sent from the British Crown Dependencies—Guernsey, Jersey and the Isle of Man—and many of the British overseas territories.

Only six teams have attended every Commonwealth Games: Australia, Canada, England, New Zealand, Scotland and Wales.

Contents

Origins

A sporting competition bringing together the members of the British Empire was first proposed by Reverend Astley Cooper in 1891 when he wrote an article in The Times suggesting a "Pan-Britannic-Pan-Anglican Contest and Festival every four years as a means of increasing the goodwill and good understanding of the British Empire".

In 1911, the Festival of the Empire was held in London to celebrate the coronation of King George V. As part of the festival an Inter-Empire Championships was held in which teams from Australia, Canada, South Africa and the United Kingdom competed in events such as boxing, wrestling, swimming and athletics.

In 1928, Melville Marks (Bobby) Robinson of Canada was asked to organise the first British Empire Games. These were held in Hamilton, Ontario two years later.

Opening ceremony traditions

From 1930 through 1950, the parade of nations was led by a single flagbearer carrying the Union Jack, symbolising Britain's leading role in the British Empire.

Since 1958, there has been a relay of athletes carrying a baton from Buckingham Palace to the Opening Ceremony. This baton has within it the Queen's Message of Greeting to the athletes. The baton's final bearer is usually a famous sporting personage of the host nation.

All other nations march in English alphabetical order, except that the first nation marching in the Parade of Athletes is the host nation of the previous games, and the host nation of the current games marches last. In 2006 countries marched in alphabetical order in geographical regions.

Three national flags fly from the stadium on the poles that are used for medal ceremonies: Previous host nation, Current host nation, Next host nation.

The Military is more active in the Opening Ceremony than in the Olympic Games. This is to honour the British Military traditions of the Old Empire.

Boycotts

The Commonwealth Games, like the Olympic Games, has also suffered from political boycotts. Nigeria boycotted the 1978 Games in protest of New Zealand's sporting contacts with apartheid-era South Africa, and 32 of 59 nations from Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean boycotted the 1986 Commonwealth Games due to the Thatcher government's attitude to South African sporting contacts. Boycotts were also threatened in 1974, 1982, and 1990 because of South Africa.

Editions

The Empire Games flag was donated in 1930 by the British Empire Games Association of Canada. The year and location of subsequent games were added until the 1950 games. The name of the event was changed to the British Empire and Commonwealth Games and the flag was retired as a result.

British Commonwealth Games seal

Commonwealth Games Federation seal, adopted in 2001

British Empire Games

British Empire and Commonwealth Games

British Commonwealth Games

Commonwealth Games

Commonwealth Games Federation

2002 Commonwealth Games Federation - Manchester, England
2006 Commonwealth Games Federation - Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
2010 Commonwealth Games Federation - Delhi, India

Abuja, Nigeria
Glasgow, Scotland
Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Windhoek, Namibia

Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
Auckland, New Zealand
Karachi, Pakistan
Lusaka, Zambia
Sheffield, England

List of nations/dependencies to compete

Nations/dependencies which have competed

Aden 1962

Anguilla 1982, 1998—

Antigua and Barbuda 1966–1970, 1978, 1994—

Australia 1930—

Bahamas 1954–1970, 1978–1982, 1990—

Bangladesh 1978, 1990—

Barbados 1954–1966, 1970–1982, 1990—

Belize 1978, 1994—

Bermuda 1930–1938, 1954–1982, 1990—

Botswana 1974, 1982—

British Guiana 1930–1938, 1954–1962

British Honduras 1962–1966

British Virgin Islands 1990—

Brunei Darussalam 1958, 1990—

Cameroon 1998—

Canada 1930—

Cayman Islands 1978—

Ceylon 1938–1950, 1958–1970

Cook Islands 1974–1978, 1986—

Cyprus 1978–1982, 1990—

Dominica 1958–1962, 1970, 1994—

England 1930—

Falkland Islands 1982—

Fiji 1938, 1954–1986, 1998—

The Gambia 1970–1982, 1990—

Ghana 1958–1982, 1990—

Gibraltar 1958—

Gold Coast 1954

Grenada 1970–1974, 1994—

Guernsey 1970—

Guyana 1966–1970, 1978–1982, 1990—

Hong Kong 1934, 1954–1962, 1970–1994

India 1934–1938, 1954–1958, 1966–1982, 1990—

Ireland 1930

Irish Free State 1934

Isle of Man 1958—

Jamaica 1934, 1954–1982, 1990—

Jersey 1958—

Kenya 1954–1982, 1990—

Kiribati 1998—

Lesotho 1974–

Malawi 1970—

Malaya 1950, 1958–1962

Malaysia 1966–1982, 1990—

Maldives 1986—

Malta 1958–1962, 1970, 1982—

Mauritius 1958, 1966–1982, 1990—

Montserrat 1994—

Mozambique 1998—

Namibia 1994—

Nauru 1990—

Newfoundland 1930–1934

New Zealand 1930—

Nigeria 1950–1958, 1966–1974, 1982, 1990–1994, 2002—

Niue 2002—

Norfolk Island 1986—

North Borneo 1958–1962

Northern Ireland 1934–1938, 1954—

Northern Rhodesia 1954

Pakistan 1954–1970, 1990—

Papua New Guinea 1962–1982, 1990—

Penang 1958

Rhodesia 1934–1950

Rhodesia and Nyasaland 1958–1962

St Helena 1982, 1998—

St Kitts and Nevis 1978, 1990—

Saint Lucia 1962, 1970, 1978, 1994—

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1958, 1966–1978, 1994—

Samoa and Western Samoa 1974—

Sarawak 1958–1962

Scotland 1930—

Seychelles 1990—

Sierra Leone 1966–1970, 1978, 1990—

Singapore 1958—

Solomon Islands 1982, 1990—

South Africa 1930–1958, 1994—

South Arabia 1966

Southern Rhodesia 1954

Sri Lanka 1974–1982, 1990—

Swaziland 1970—

Tanganyika 1962

Tanzania 1966–1982, 1990—

Tonga 1974, 1982, 1990—

Trinidad and Tobago 1934–1982, 1990—

Turks and Caicos 1978, 1998—

Tuvalu 1998—

Uganda 1954–1982, 1990—

Vanuatu 1982—

Wales 1930—

Zambia 1970–1982, 1990—

Zimbabwe 1982, 1990–2002

Commonwealth nations/dependencies yet to send teams

This list shows the remarkable take-up of participation of Commonwealth nations in the Commonwealth Games. The fact that so few Commonwealth dependencies and nations have yet to take part is evidence of the popularity of the Games in Commonwealth countries. Indeed, of those nations below, Tokelau is likely to be taking part in 2010 Games in Delhi. Representations have also been made to the CGF for teams to take part in the Commonwealth Games from Cornwall and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.

A recent application by Cornwall (Kernow) for a place in the 2006 Commonwealth Games was refused by the Commonwealth Games Federation. Cornwall is the only home Celtic nation not to be represented in the Commonwealth Games and the Cornwall Commonwealth Games Association is now taking legal action for the right to participate in the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi, India and at future games. The permanent inhabitants of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands are also looking at taking part in future games.

These territories may compete in future Games:

Alderney Currently competes as part of the Guernsey team

Ascension Island and Tristan da Cunha Both are dependencies of St Helena, and play on that territory's team

British Indian Ocean Territory/Chagos Islands Chagossians currently in exile, islands occupied by US naval base

Christmas Island Currently competes as part of the Australia team

Cocos (Keeling) Islands Currently competes as part of the Australia team

Cornwall Currently competes as part of the England team (see note at the top of this section)

Herm Currently competes as part of the Guernsey team

Kashmir Currently disputed territory between India and Pakistan; many Kashmiri favour political independence

Nagaland Currently competes as part of the India team, however Nagaland is seeking cessation from India

Nevis Currently competes as part of the St. Kitts-Nevis team, however the Premier of Nevis is keen for Nevis to split from St Kitts

Pitcairn Islands Population of fewer than 100 people

Sark currently competes as part of the Guernsey team

Somaliland currently they are not recognised as an independent nation

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands The small permanent population are looking at taking part possibly by the games in Delhi in 2010. They do not currently take part (since they are a separate colony to the Falkland Islands)

Tokelau probably will compete in Delhi in 2010 since they should have gained self-government by then, and Tokelau already competes in the South Pacific Games

Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus Government of TRNC not recognised by Commonwealth nations

Yemen Yemen has applied to join the Commonwealth, and took part in the Games in 1962 (as Aden) and 1966 (as South Arabia). A Yemeni competitor took part in the 2006 Commonwealth Games for Wales The following territories have no native populations and thus are not very likely at all to participate in any future Games:

Territory of Ashmore and Cartier Islands

Australian Antarctic Territory

British Antarctic Territory

Coral Sea Islands Territory

Territory of Heard and McDonald Islands

Prince Edward Islands

Redonda

Ross Dependency

List of sports at the Commonwealth Games

The current regulations state that a minimum of ten and no more than fifteen sports must be included in a Commonwealth Games schedule. There is a list of core sports, which must be included, and a further list of approved sports from which the host nation chooses which to include. The host nation may also apply for the inclusion of other team sports to the CGF General Assembly, like the Melbourne organising committee did with Basketball for the 2006 Games.

The current core sports consist of athletics, aquatics (swimming, diving and synchronised swimming), lawn bowls, netball (for women) and rugby sevens (for men). These will all remain core sports until at least the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

The approved list of sports also includes archery, badminton, billiards and snooker, boxing, canoeing, cycling, fencing, gymnastics, judo, rowing, shooting, squash, table tennis, tennis, tenpin bowling, triathlon, weightlifting, wrestling and sailing. Some of these are often included in the programme, while others, like billiards and sailing, have not yet been approved.

There is also a requirement to include some events for Elite Athletes with a Disability (EAD). This was introduced in the 2002 Games.

15 sports are confirmed for Delhi 2010, but the program is going to change

David Dixon Award for the outstanding athelete is introduced from the 2002 Games.

Below, the years in brackets show when the sports appeared at the games.

Sports currently included

Aquatics (1930—)
*Swimming
*Synchronised swimming
*Diving
Athletics (men: 1930—, women: 1934—)
Badminton (1966—)
Basketball (2006—)
Boxing (1930—)
Cycling (1934—)
Gymnastics (1978, 1990—)
* Rhythmic gymnastics 1994–1998, 2006—)
Field hockey (1998—)
Lawn bowls (1930–1962, 1972—)
Netball (1998—)
Rugby sevens (1998—)
Shooting (1966, 1974—)
Squash (1998—)
Table tennis (2002—)
Triathlon (2002—)
Weightlifting (1950—)
Events for Athletes with a Disability (2002—)
*Athletics
*Swimming
*Table tennis
*Powerlifting

Events on hiatus

Archery (1982 probably 2010)
Cricket (1998)
Fencing (1950–1970)
Freestyle wrestling (1930–1986, 1994, 2002,come back in 2010)
Judo (1990, 2002)
Rowing (1930, 1938–1962, 1986)
Ten-pin bowling (1998)

Events which were never held

External links

[Official website]
[Commonwealth Games Blog]
[Flags and emblems of the Commonwealth Games] - evolution of the emblems of the Games
[The Commonwealth Games] - An independent site about the Commonwealth Games
[The Empire Strikes Back] - 2002 Australian radio programme (with transcript) on the history and future of the "friendly games".

Official games sites

Countries

Commonwealth Games

1930 | 1934 | 1938 | 1950 | 1954 | 1958 | 1962 | 1966 | 1970 | 1974 | 1978 | 1982 | 1986 | 1990 | 1994 | 1998 | 2002 | 2006 | 2010 | 2014 | 2018

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