Commonwealth Games
The Commonwealth Games is a quadrennial international multi-sport event that brings together athletes from across the Commonwealth of Nations, a political association comprising the majority of former territories of the British Empire. First held as the British Empire Games in 1930, the event has evolved through several name changes, reflecting the changing geopolitical landscape and gradual decolonisation of the Empire. It was known as the British Empire Games until 1950, the British Empire and Commonwealth Games until 1966, and the British Commonwealth Games until 1974. Since the 1978 edition, the event has been officially known as the Commonwealth Games, a name that reflects its modern identity while maintaining its historic connection to Britain.
The Games are overseen by the Commonwealth Games Federation, which determines the sporting programme and awards hosting rights. The event upholds its unique traditions, such as the King's Baton Relay and the ceremonial hoisting of the Commonwealth Games flag. It is distinguished from other international sporting competitions by its inclusivity and heritage. Athletes with a disability have been integrated as full team members since 2002, and in 2018, the Games became the first global multi-sport competition to offer equal medal events for men and women. By 2022, women's events outnumbered men's for the first time. In addition to mainstream Olympic sports, the Commonwealth Games includes disciplines such as netball, lawn bowls and squash, which enjoy particular popularity within the Commonwealth.
The origins of the Games lie in the Inter-Empire Championships of 1911, with Melville Marks Robinson playing a pivotal role in establishing the first official Games in Hamilton, Canada. Over time, associated events such as the Commonwealth Youth Games and the now-defunct Commonwealth Paraplegic Games have further expanded participation. Unlike the Olympics and other global competitions, the Commonwealth Games permit representation from fifteen Commonwealth Games Associations that are not sovereign states. These include the four Home Nations of the United Kingdom, the Crown Dependencies, several British Overseas Territories, Norfolk Island and Niue. Notably, despite being non-sovereign, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands and Cayman Islands are recognised as independent National Olympic Committees by the International Olympic Committee.
To date, twenty cities in nine countries have hosted the Games. Australia leads with five editions, while both Auckland and Edinburgh have hosted twice. Glasgow will become the third city to do so, having held the Games in 2014 and again in 2026. The most recent edition was held in Birmingham in 2022. Originally, the 2026 Commonwealth Games were awarded to Victoria in Australia, but cost concerns led to the state's withdrawal. Subsequently, Glasgow was confirmed as the replacement host city. The upcoming Games will be markedly smaller in scale, featuring only ten sports. As part of a settlement agreement, the Victorian government will provide over £2 million to the Glasgow organisers. The next edition of the Games, the twenty-third or XXIII, is scheduled to be held in Glasgow from 23 July to 2 August 2026, while the immediate future of the Games was secured with the announcement in 2025 that the 2030 Commonwealth Games has been award to Ahmedabad, Guarat in India, under the city's alternate name Amdavad 2030'''.'''
History
A sporting competition bringing together the members of the British Empire was first proposed by John Astley Cooper in 1891, five years before the first modern Olympic Games, who wrote letters and articles for several periodicals suggesting a "Pan Brittanic, Pan Anglican Contest every four years as a means of increasing goodwill and understanding of the British Empire." John Astley Cooper Committees were formed in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa to promote the idea and inspired Pierre de Coubertin to start the international Olympic Games movement.In 1911, an Inter-Empire Championship was held alongside the Festival of Empire, at The Crystal Palace in London to celebrate the coronation of George V, and were championed by The Earl of Plymouth and Lord Desborough. Teams from Australasia, Canada, South Africa, and the United Kingdom competed in events for athletics, boxing, swimming and wrestling. Canada won the championships and was presented with a silver cup which was high and weighed. A correspondent of the Auckland Star criticised the Games, calling them a "grievous disappointment" that were "not worthy of the title of 'Empire Sports'".
While planning for the 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam, Amateur Athletic Union of Canada executive J. Howard Crocker spoke with journalist Melville Marks Robinson of The Hamilton Spectator, about hosting an international sporting event in Canada. Robinson proposed and lobbied to host what became the British Empire Games in Hamilton, Ontario, in 1930. Robinson then served as the manager of the Canadian track and field team for the 1930 British Empire Games.
Although there are 56 sovereign states that are members of the Commonwealth of Nations, there are 74 active Commonwealth Games Associations.They are divided into six regions and each has a similar function to the National Olympic Committees in relation with their countries or territories. In some, like India and South Africa, the CGA functions are assumed by their NOCs.
Only six national federations have participated in every Commonwealth Games: Australia, Canada, England, New Zealand, Scotland and Wales. Of these six, Australia, England, Canada and New Zealand have each won at least one gold medal in every Games. Australia has been the highest-achieving team for thirteen editions of the Games, England for seven and Canada for one. These three teams also top the all-time Commonwealth Games medal table in that order.
Editions
British Empire Games
The 1930 British Empire Games were the first of what later became known as the Commonwealth Games, and was held in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada from 16 to 23 August 1930 and opened by Lord Willingdon. Eleven countries: Australia, Bermuda, British Guyana, Canada, England, Northern Ireland, Newfoundland, New Zealand, Scotland, South Africa and Wales, sent a total of 400 athletes to compete in athletics, boxing, lawn bowls, rowing, swimming and diving and wrestling. The opening and closing ceremonies as well as athletics took place at Civic Stadium. The cost of the Games were $97,973. Women competed in only the aquatic events. Canadian triple jumper Gordon Smallacombe won the first ever gold medal in the history of the Games.File:SLNSW 23801 Opening Empire Games Sydney Cricket Ground.jpg|thumb|Opening ceremony of the 1938 British Empire Games at the Sydney Cricket Ground.The 1934 British Empire Games were the second of what is now known as the Commonwealth Games, held in London, England. The host city was London, with the main venue at Wembley Park, although the track cycling events were in Manchester. The 1934 Games had originally been awarded to Johannesburg, but was given to London instead because of serious concerns about prejudice against Asian and black athletes in South Africa. The affiliation of Irish athletes at the 1934 Games representation remains unclear but there was no official Irish Free State team. Sixteen national teams took part, including new participants Hong Kong, India, Jamaica, Southern Rhodesia and Trinidad and Tobago.
The 1938 British Empire Games were the third British Empire Games, which was held in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It was timed to coincide with Sydney's sesqui-centenary. Held in the Southern Hemisphere for the first time, the III Games opening ceremony took place at the famed Sydney Cricket Ground in front of 40,000 spectators. Fifteen nations participated down under at the Sydney Games involving a total of 464 athletes and 43 officials. Fiji and Ceylon made their debuts. Seven sports were featured in the Sydney Games – athletics, boxing, cycling, lawn bowls, rowing, swimming and diving and wrestling.
The 1950 British Empire Games were the fourth edition and were held in Auckland, New Zealand, after a twelve-year gap from the third edition of the games. The fourth games were originally awarded to Montreal, Canada and was to be held in 1942, but was cancelled due to the Second World War. The opening ceremony at Eden Park was attended by 40,000 spectators, while nearly 250,000 people attended the Auckland Games. Twelve countries sent a total of 590 athletes to Auckland. Malaya and Nigeria made their first appearances.
British Empire and Commonwealth Games
The fifth edition of the Games, the 1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Games, were held in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. This was the first event since the name change from British Empire Games took effect in 1952, the same year of Queen Elizabeth II's reign. The fifth edition of the Games placed Vancouver on a world stage and featured memorable sporting moments as well as outstanding entertainment, technical innovation and cultural events. The 'Miracle Mile', as it became known, saw both the gold medallist, Roger Bannister of England and silver medallist John Landy of Australia, run sub-four-minute races in an event that was televised live across the world for the first time. Northern Rhodesia and Pakistan made their debuts and both performed well, winning eight and six medals respectively.File:1958 Commonwealth Games 3d Stamp.jpg|thumb|3 pence British stamp with theme of 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games, Cardiff, Wales
The 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games were held in Cardiff, Wales. The sixth edition of the games marked the largest sporting event ever held in Wales and it was the smallest country ever to host a British Empire and Commonwealth Games. Cardiff had to wait twelve years longer than originally scheduled to become host of the Games, as the 1946 event was cancelled because of the Second World War. The Cardiff Games introduced the Queen's Baton Relay, which has been conducted as a prelude to every British Empire and Commonwealth Games ever since. Thirty-five nations sent a total of 1,122 athletes and 228 officials to the Cardiff Games and 23 countries and dependencies won medals, including for the first time, Singapore, Ghana, Kenya and the Isle of Man. In the run up to the Cardiff games, many leading sports stars including Stanley Matthews, Jimmy Hill and Don Revie were signatories in a letter to The Times on 17 July 1958 deploring the presence of white-only South African sports, opposing 'the policy of apartheid' in international sport and defending 'the principle of racial equality which is embodied in the Declaration of the Olympic Games'.
The 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games were held in Perth, Western Australia. Thirty-five countries sent a total of 863 athletes and 178 officials to Perth. Jersey was among the medal winners for the first time, while British Honduras, Dominica, Papua and New Guinea and St Lucia all made their inaugural Games appearances. Aden also competed by special invitation. Sarawak, North Borneo and Malaya competed for the last time, before taking part in 1966 under the Malaysian flag. In addition, Rhodesia and Nyasaland competed in the Games as an entity for the first and only time.
The 1966 British Empire and Commonwealth Games were held in Kingston, Jamaica. This was the first time that the Games had been held outside the so-called White Dominions. Thirty-four nations competed in the Kingston Games, sending a total of 1,316 athletes and officials.