Year that changed the capital
Edinburgh suffered a series of highs and lows in 1986 that would see the city hold the Commonwealth Games – but be dubbed the Aids capital of Britain. The Games are remembered for the emergence of top
Scots athletes Liz McColgan, Yvonne Murray and Tom McKean.
But they were tarnished by a political boycott and financial mismanagement.
Thirty-two countries stayed away because of Margaret Thatcher’s policy of keeping Britain’s sporting links with apartheid South Africa. This resulted in a huge loss of broadcasting and sponsorship cash.
Crooked businessman Robert Maxwell promised to invest £2million, but contributed just £250,000.
The games went ahead with debts of more than £4million.
In April, Hearts lost the Premier League title on goal difference to Celtic on the last day of the season.
They only needed a draw away to Dundee but lost 2-0, with the Dens Park side scoring twice in the last seven minutes. Hearts also lost the Scottish Cup Final to Aberdeen a week later.
The city also became known as having the highest population of Aids sufferers in the United Kingdom.
It was estimated around half of its 2000 heroin users had the HIV virus.
The epidemic spread through the multiple use of injecting equipment – shared by up to 20 addicts at a time.
Edinburgh was also shocked by the murder of 20-year-old Ann Ballantine whose body was found wrapped in carpet in a canal in the Fountainbridge area of the city.
The case still remains unsolved to this day.