Commonwealth Games relevant?
relevance of the Commonwealth Games. He said when the games were last held in Edmonton in 1978, they attracted 1,400 athletes. Glasgow will represent the largest-ever games with 7,300 athletes.
“I count two statistics that blew me out of the water — one-third of the world’s population, 2.2 billion, live in Commonwealth countries,” said Miley. “And more than 50 per cent of those are under 25. So that’s where our future is.”
Mike Stanley, president of the New Zealand Olympic Committee, said the Glasgow games are his country’s only multisports event outside of the Olympics. They’ve held the Commonwealth Games three times and suggestions are that they might try to host them again in 2026.
“We don’t see them as an anachronism in any way,” said Stanley. “As the IOC is doing, we realize it’s a fastmoving world out there, and our voice and our brand has to be seen in a positive light and recognized.”
As usual, the Commonwealth Games suffer from a lack of star power. Sprinter Usain Bolt is the biggest name here, but he will only compete in Jamaica’s 4x100meter relay. Mo Farah, who won both the 5,000 and 10,000 metres for Britain at the London Olympics in 2012, is scheduled to run in both events.
Judy Simons, president of the Bermuda Olympic Association, said Tuesday that the lack of high-profile athletes might create a more level playing field for some of the lesser-populated countries. The Commonwealth Games usually include sports like lawn bowls and netball, which aren’t part of the Olympic program.
“It gives smaller countries a real platform to show their athletes in a different light to the Olympics,” said Simons. “You can get swallowed up in the Olympics.”
John Dawanincura, a member of the Papua New Guinea Olympic Committee, had a simple answer for critics of the Commonwealth Games.
“A lot of people have their opinions, but getting 71 nations here is a testament that most everyone is in favour of them,” said Dawanincura.
“We’re a family of nations, and I hope we retain them forever.”