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 1978.
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 (unlike at the Olympic Games, where the United Kingdom sends a single team), 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 Australian external territory of Norfolk Island also sends its own team, as do the Cook Islands and Niue, two states in free association with New Zealand.
Only six teams have attended every Commonwealth Games: Australia, Canada, England, New Zealand, Scotland and Wales. Australia has been the highest scoring team for ten games, England for seven and Canada for one.
At the 1930 games, women competed in the Swimming events only. From 1934, women also competed in some Athletics events.
Commonwealth Games History
British Empire Games
The British Empire Games was thought to be inspired by the Reverend Astley Cooper. In July 1891 he wrote in “Greater Britain” magazine and later on 31st October 1891 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”. It was to be another 40 years however before the first Games took place.
1930 games – Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
The 1930 British Empire Games were the first of what later become known as the Commonwealth Games, and were held in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada from August 16-23 1930 at civic stadium and 400 Athletes participated in this. The events included Athletics, Boxing, Lawn Bowls, Rowing, Swimming, and Wrestling. The opening ceremonies and many events were held at the Civic Stadium (now Ivor Wynne Stadium) in east Hamilton.
1934 games – London, England, United Kingdom
The 1934 British Empire Games were the second of what we now know of as the Commonwealth Games. They were held at the White City Stadium in London, England from August 4-11 1934 and 500 Athletes participated on this, apart from the cycling at Fallowfield Stadium, Manchester, and the swimming, which took place at the Empire Pool in Wembley. Seventeen national teams took part, including the Irish Free State (the only Games in which they participated, although at the 1930 Games a team representing the whole of Ireland competed). Six sports were featured in the Games: athletics, boxing, cycling, lawn bowls, swimming and diving, and wrestling.
1938 games – Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
The 1938 British Empire Games was the third British Empire Games, the Commonwealth Games being the modern-day equivalent. Held in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia from February 5-12 1938.
Participating Teams : Australia, Bermuda, British Guiana, Canada, Ceylon, England, Fiji, India, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Southern Rhodesia, Scotland, South Africa, Trindad nad Tobago, Wales
1950 games – Auckland, New Zealand
The 1950 British Empire Games was the fourth edition of what is now called the Commonwealth Games. It was held in Auckland, New Zealand between the 4th and 11th of February 1950, after a 12 year gap from the 3rd edition of the games. The main venue was Eden Park, although the closing ceremonies were held at Western Springs Stadium, 590 Athelets participated in this.
British Empire and Commonwealth Games
The British Empire and Commonwealth Games are a continuance of the British Empire Games. The name change came about to reflect the evolving nature of the old Empire into one where former colonies became emerging and independent nations.
1954 games – Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
The 1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Games were held in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada from 30 July-7 August 1954. The games were attended by 24 nations and 662 competitors.
1958 games – Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom
The 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games were held in Cardiff, capital of Wales from 18-26 July 1958.Thirty-five nations sent a total of 1,130 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.
1962 games – Perth, Western Australia, Australia
The 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games were held in Perth, Western Australia, Australia from 22 November-1 December 1962. Thirty-five nations sent a total of 863 athletes.
1966 games – Kingston, Jamaica
The 1966 British Empire and Commonwealth Games were held in Kingston, Jamaica from 4 August to 13 August 1966. Thirty-four nations sent a total of 1,316 athletes.
Participating Teams: Antigua, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, British Honduras, Canada, Ceylon, England, Fiji, Ghana, Gibraltar, Guyana, India, Isle of Man, Jamaica, Jersey, Kenya, Malaysia, Mauritius, New Zealand, Nigeria, Northern Ireland, Pakistan, Papua & New Guinea, Scotland, Sierra Leone, Singapore, South Arabia, St Vincent, Tanzania, Tanganyika, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, Wales.
British Commonwealth Games
The British Commonwealth Games came about when the meeting of the British Empire and Commonwealth Games Federation during the XIII Games at Kingston (Jamaica), voted to drop the word “Empire” from the Games title, reflecting the continuing transformation of the old British Empire into a Commonwealth of independent nations and dominions.
1970 games – Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom
The IX Games from the 16th to the 25th of July, 1970 in Edinburgh will be remembered for a number of firsts. It was the first time that metric distances and electronic photo-finish technology were employed at the Games and also the first time that HM Queen Elizabeth II attended in her capacity as Head of the Commonwealth.
Forty-two nations sent a total of nearly 1,744 athletes and officials to the first Edinburgh Games. New medal winning nations included Tanzania, Malawi and St Vincent. The 9 sports were featured in the Games – athletics, badminton, boxing, cycling, fencing, lawn bowls, swimming and diving, weightlifting and wrestling.
1974 games – Christchurch, New Zealand
The 1974 British Commonwealth Games were held in Christchurch, New Zealand from 24 January-2 February 1974. Only 22 countries succeeded in winning medals from the total haul of 374 medals on offer, but first time winners included Western Samoa, Lesotho and Swaziland. Nine sports were featured in these Games with 1,276 athletes taking part in athletics, badminton, boxing, cycling, lawn bowls, shooting, swimming and diving, weightlifting and wrestling.
Commonwealth Games
It was the 1978 Games in Edmonton that saw this unique, world class, multi-sports event change its name to the Commonwealth Games. Vision of the federation is to promote a unique, friendly , world class Common wealth Games and to develop sport for the benefit of the people, the nations and the territories of the Commonwealth, and thereby strengthen the commonwealth.
1978 games – Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
The XI Games was the first to bear the current day name of the Commonwealth Games. The 1978 Commonwealth Games were held in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada from 3 August-12 1978. Forty-six countries sent a total of 1,474 athletes and 504 officials to the Edmonton Games. Ten sports were featured at the Edmonton Games – athletics, badminton, boxing, cycling, gymnastics, lawn bowls, shooting, swimming and diving, weightlifting and wrestling.
1982 games – Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
The 1982 Commonwealth Games were held in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia from 30 September—9 October 1982. Forty-six nations participated in the Brisbane Games with a new record total of 1,583 athletes and 571 officials.
1986 games – Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom
The 1986 Commonwealth Games were held in Edinburgh, Scotland for the second time. The Games were held from 24 July-2 August 1986. Twenty-six nations did attend the second Edinburgh Games and sent a total of 1,662 athletes and 461 officials. Ten sports were featured at the second Edinburgh Games – athletics, aquatics (diving, synchronised swimming & swimming), badminton, boxing, cycling, lawn bowls, rowing, shooting, weightlifting and wrestling.
1990 games – Auckland, New Zealand
The 1990 Commonwealth Games were held in Auckland, New Zealand from 24 January-3 February 1990. 55 nations participated in the second Auckland Games sending 2,826 athletes and officials. Ten sports featured in the second Auckland Games – athletics, aquatics (diving, swimming & synchronised swimming), badminton, boxing, cycling, gymnastics, judo, lawn bowls, shooting and weightlifting.
1994 games – Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
The 1994 Commonwealth Games were held from 18 August to 28 August 1994 in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. Sixty-three nations sent 2,557 athletes and 914 officials as the Commonwealth Games burgeoned at Victoria.
1998 games – Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
The 1998 XVI Commonwealth Games were held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from 11 September to 21 September 1998 making it the first Asian country to act as host and the last Commonwealth Games for the 20th century. 70 countries sent a total of 5,065 athletes and officials to the Kuala Lumpur Games. Fifteen sports were featured in the Kuala Lumpur Games – athletics, aquatics (diving, swimming & synchronised swimming), badminton, boxing, cricket, cycling, gymnastics, hockey, netball, lawn bowls, rugby 7s, shooting, squash, tenpin bowling and weightlifting.
2002 games – Manchester, England, United Kingdom
The XVII Commonwealth Games was the most significant multi-sport event to be held in the United Kingdom since the Olympics of 1948. It was the largest in the history of the Commonwealth Games in terms of participating nations with 72 countries taking part across 14 individual and three team sports from 25 July – 4 August 2002. The sports were contested by 72 nations and 3,679 athletes on a programme that included; Aquatics (diving, swimming & synchronised swimming), Athletics, Badminton, Boxing, Cycling, Gymnastics, Hockey, Judo, Lawn Bowls, Netball, Rugby 7s, Shooting, Squash, Table Tennis, Triathlon, Weightlifting and Wrestling. For the first time in the Games history, indeed at any multi-sport event in the world, a limited number of full medal events for elite athletes with a disability (EAD) were included in a fully inclusive sports programme. The sports which included EAD events were Athletics, Lawn Bowls, Swimming, Table Tennis and Weightlifting.
2006 games – Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
The 2006 Commonwealth Games were held in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia between 15 March and 26 March 2006. It was the largest sporting event to be staged in Melbourne, eclipsing the 1956 Summer Olympics in terms of the number of teams competing, athletes competing, and events being held. The sports on the programme were Aquatics (diving, swimming & synchronised swimming), Athletics, Badminton, Basketball, Bowls, Boxing, Cycling, Gymnastics, Hockey, Netball, Rugby 7s, Shooting, Squash, Table Tennis, Triathlon and Weightlifting. There were approximately 5,766 athletes from 71 nations and team officials in attendance in Melbourne with the home nation having the largest team with 535 athletes and officials and the volcanic island of Montserrat the smallest with 4 members
2010 games – Delhi, India
The 2010 Commonwealth Games are the nineteenth edition of the Commonwealth Games, and the ninth to be held under that name. The Games are scheduled to be held in Delhi, India between 3 October and 14 October 2010. There are 17 Sports planned for the 2010 Commonwealth Games: Aquatics, Archery, Athletics (track and field), Badminton, Boxing, Cycling, Gymnastics, Hockey, Lawn Bowls, Netball, Rugby Sevens, Shooting, Squash, Table Tennis, Tennis, Weightlifting, Wrestling. Kabaddi will also be a demonstration sport at the 2010 Games.