| Commonwealth Games |
Article Index for Commonwealth Games |
Articles about Commonwealth Games |
Website Links For Commonwealth Games |
Information AboutCommonwealth Games |
|
The Commonwealth Games is a multinational, Multi-sport Event . Held every four years, it involves the elite athletes of the Commonwealth Of Nations . Attendance at the Commonwealth Games is typically around 5,000 athletes. The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) is the organisation that is responsible for the direction and control of the Commonwealth Games. The first such event, then known as the British Empire Games, was held in 1930 in Hamilton, Ontario Canada. 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 1974. As well as many Olympic Sport s, 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 members of the Commonwealth of Nations, and 71 teams participate in the Games. 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 . The Australia n external territory of Norfolk Island also sends its own team, as do the Cook Islands and Niue , two non-sovereign states in free association with New Zealand . Only six teams have attended every Commonwealth Games: Australia , Canada , England , New Zealand , Scotland and Wales . 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
BOYCOTTS The Commonwealth Games, like the Olympic Games, has also suffered from political Boycott s. 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 towards South African sporting contacts. Boycotts were also threatened in 1974, 1982, and 1990 because of South Africa. EDITIONS British Empire Games
British Empire and Commonwealth Games
British Commonwealth Games
Commonwealth Games
2014 Commonwealth Games bid cities 2018 Commonwealth Games potential bidders
LIST OF NATIONS/DEPENDENCIES TO COMPETE Nations/dependencies that have competed ''Notes:'' 1: Aden became South Arabia which left the Commonwealth in 1968. 2: Became Guyana in 1966. 3: Became Belize in 1973. 4: Became Sri Lanka in 1972. 5: Became Ghana in 1957. 6: Left the Commonwealth when handed over to China in 1997. 7: Ireland was represented as the Irish Free State and Northern Ireland in 1934. The Irish Free State , subsequently known as Eire (1937 to 1948), left the Commonwealth as the Republic Of Ireland on January 1st 1949. 8: Malaya , North Borneo , Sarawak and Singapore federated as Malaysia in 1963. Singapore left the federation in 1965. 9: Joined Canada in 1949. 10: Southern Rhodesia and Northern Rhodesia federated with Nyasaland from 1953 as Rhodesia And Nyasaland which lasted till 1963. 11: Divided into Southern Rhodesia and Northern Rhodesia in 1953. 12: Competed from 1958–1962 as part of Rhodesia And Nyasaland . 13: Zanzibar and Tanganyika federated to form Tanzania in 1964. 14: Withdrew from the Commonwealth in 2003. Commonwealth nations/dependencies yet to send teams The fact that very 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, 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 . Pitcairn Islands ' tiny population (48 at March 2007 estimate) would appear to prevent them from competing. Other states and territories with native populations within the Commonwealth that may be eligible would include and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands . It is also conceivable that any future members of the Commonwealth such as Applicants and may participate in future games. 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 may choose 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. In 2002, the CGF introduced the David Dixon Award for the outstanding athlete of the Games. There is also a requirement to include some events for Elite Athletes with a Disability (EAD). This was introduced in the 2002 Games. On November 18, 2006, tennis and archery were added to the list of disciplines for the 2010 games in New Delhi, bringing the total number of sports to 17. Billiards and snooker were considered but were not accepted. Sports currently included ''The years, in brackets, show when the sports have appeared at the games.''
Events on hiatus
Events which were never held
SEE ALSO
EXTERNAL LINKS
Official games sites
Official games bid sites Countries
|
|
|