Commonwealth Games

For the most recent event, see 2022 Commonwealth Games. For the next event, see 2026 Commonwealth Games.

Commonwealth Games
Seal of the Commonwealth Games Federation
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Commonwealth Games
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The Commonwealth Games[a] is a quadrennial international multi-sport event among athletes from the Commonwealth of Nations, which consists mostly, but not exclusively, of territories of the former British Empire. The event was first held in 1930 as the British Empire Games and, with the exception of 1942 and 1946 (which were cancelled due to World War II), has successively run every four years since.[5] The event was called the British Empire Games from 1930 to 1950 (four editions), the British Empire and Commonwealth Games from 1954 to 1966 (four editions), and the British Commonwealth Games from 1970 to 1974 (two editions). The event removed the word British from its title for the 1978 Games and has maintained its current name ever since (twelve editions as of 2024).

Athletes with a disability have been included as full members of their national teams since 2002, making the Commonwealth Games the first fully inclusive international multi-sport event.[6] In 2018, the Games became the first global multi-sport event to feature an equal number of men's and women's medal events, and four years later they became the first global multi-sport event to have more events for women than men.[7]

Inspired by the Inter-Empire Championships, part of the 1911 Festival of Empire, Melville Marks Robinson founded the British Empire Games which was first held in Hamilton, Canada in 1930.[8] As time progressed, the Games evolved, adding the Commonwealth Paraplegic Games for athletes with a disability (who were barred from competing from 1974 before being fully integrated by 1990)[9] and the Commonwealth Youth Games for athletes aged 14 to 18.

The event is overseen by the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF), which controls the sporting programme and selects host cities. The games movement consists of international sports federations (IFs), Commonwealth Games Associations (CGAs) and organising committees for each specific Commonwealth Games. Certain traditions, such as the hoisting of the Commonwealth Games flag and Queen's Baton Relay, as well as the opening and closing ceremonies, are unique to the Games. Over 4,500 athletes competed at the latest Commonwealth Games in 25 sports and over 250 medal events, including Olympic and Paralympic sports and certain non-Olympic sports popular in Commonwealth countries: netball, lawn bowls and squash.[10] Usually, the first, second and third-place finishers in each event are awarded gold, silver and bronze medals, respectively. Several sports, such as rugby sevens (2016) and squash (2028) have appeared at the Commonwealth Games before later being added to the Olympic schedule, while netball and lawn bowls remain Commonwealth Games sports only.

One of the differences from other multisport events is that fifteen CGAs participating in the Commonwealth Games do not send their delegations independently to the Olympic, Paralympic and other multisports competitions: thirteen are linked to the British Olympic Association, one is part of the Australian Olympic Committee and another is part of the New Zealand Olympic Committee. They are the four constituent Home Nations of the United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland), six of the British Overseas Territories (Anguilla, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Montserrat, Saint Helena and Turks and Caicos Islands), the Crown Dependencies (Guernsey, Isle of Man, and Jersey), along with the Australian territory of Norfolk Island and the New Zealand associated state of Niue. Despite being overseas territories rather than sovereign states, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands and Cayman Islands send their own delegations to the Olympic Games.[11]

Twenty cities in nine countries (counting England, Scotland and Wales as separate Commonwealth Games federations) have hosted the games. Australia has hosted the Commonwealth Games five times (1938, 1962, 1982, 2006 and 2018), more than any other nation. Two cities have hosted Commonwealth Games more than once: Auckland (1950, 1990) and Edinburgh (1970, 1986).[12] Glasgow will be the third city to host the games more than once (2014 and 2026). The most recent Commonwealth Games, the 22nd or XXII, was held in Birmingham from 28 July to 8 August 2022.

The confirmation of hosts has become a major issue for the event as the withdrawal of numerous host cities for the 2026 Commonwealth Games led to speculation that the 2022 edition may have been the last.[13][14] However, the city of Glasgow was confirmed as the host city for the 2026 games in September 2024.[15][16]

The next Commonwealth Games, the 23rd or XXIII, will be held in Glasgow from 23 July to 2 August 2026.

  1. ^ "History of the Games". Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games. Archived from the original on 14 December 2021. Retrieved 14 December 2021.
  2. ^ Keating, Steve (31 July 2022). "'Friendly Games' have an edge when India play Pakistan at cricket". Reuters. Retrieved 17 April 2023.
  3. ^ "Comm Games Chairman Peter Beattie Apologies For Closing Ceremony Blunder". Triple M. Retrieved 7 December 2022.
  4. ^ Allan, Steve. "COMM GAMES UNDERWAY FOR COAST ATHLETES | NBN News". Retrieved 7 December 2022.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference :1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ "Para-Sports at the Commonwealth Games". Commonwealth Sport. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
  7. ^ "Gender Equality | Commonwealth Games Federation". thecgf.com. Archived from the original on 9 March 2023. Retrieved 29 January 2020.
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference :0 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ "Commonwealth Paraplegic Games". disabilitysport.org.uk. Archived from the original on 11 September 2017. Retrieved 10 May 2018.
  10. ^ "Birmingham 2022 | Commonwealth Games Federation". thecgf.com. Archived from the original on 7 April 2018. Retrieved 29 July 2022.
  11. ^ "Home of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games". Commonwealth Games – Birmingham 2022. Retrieved 29 July 2022.[permanent dead link‍]
  12. ^ "Commonwealth Games: A brief history, editions and hosts". Olympics. Retrieved 4 August 2022.
  13. ^ "The Commonwealth Games is on its last legs — but could it be saved with a left-field idea?". ABC News. 5 December 2023. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
  14. ^ "Commonwealth Games: Australia drop out could be 'death knell'". 18 July 2023.
  15. ^ "Commonwealth Games 2026: Scaled-down, cost-effective Glasgow event proposed". BBC Sport. 11 April 2024. Retrieved 7 May 2024.
  16. ^ Cite error: The named reference :4 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).


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