Commonwealth Games

For the most recent Games in Gold Coast, see 2018 Commonwealth Games. For the next Games in Birmingham, see 2022 Commonwealth Games.

Commonwealth Games
1930 1934 1938 1950 1954 1958 1962 1966 1970 1974 1978 1982 1986 1990 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014 2018 2022 2026
Sports (details)
Archery Athletics Badminton Basketball Beach Volleyball Boxing Cycling Diving Gymnastics Hockey Judo Lawn bowls Netball Rowing Rugby sevens Squash Swimming Shooting Synchronised swimming Table tennis Tennis Triathlon Weightlifting Wrestling

The Commonwealth Games, often referred to as the Friendly Games, is an international multi-sport event involving athletes from the Commonwealth of Nations. The event was first held in 1930, and, with the exception of 1942 and 1946, has taken place every four years since then. The Commonwealth Games were known as the British Empire Games from 1930 to 1950, the British Empire and Commonwealth Games from 1954 to 1966, and British Commonwealth Games from 1970 to 1974. Athletes with a disability are included as full members of their national teams, making the Commonwealth Games the first fully inclusive international multi-sport event. In 2018, the Games became the first global multi-sport event to feature an equal number of men's and women's medal events.

The creation of the Games was inspired by the Inter-Empire Championships, as a part of the Festival of Empire, which were held in London in 1911. Melville Marks Robinson founded the games as the British Empire Games which were first hosted in Hamilton, Canada in 1930. During the 20th and 21st centuries, the evolution of the games movement has resulted in several changes to the Commonwealth Games. Some of these adjustments include the creation of the Commonwealth Winter Games for snow and ice sports for the commonwealth athletes, the Commonwealth Paraplegic Games for commonwealth athletes with a disability and the Commonwealth Youth Games for commonwealth athletes aged 14 to 18. The first edition of the winter games and paraplegic games were held in 1958 and 1962 respectively, with their last edition held in 1966 and 1974, respectively, and the first youth games were held in 2000. The 1942 and 1946 Commonwealth Games were cancelled because of the Second World War.

The Commonwealth Games are overseen by the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF), which also controls the sporting programme and selects the host cities. The games movement consists of international sports federations (IFs), Commonwealth Games Associations (CGAs), and organising committees for each specific Commonwealth Games. There are several rituals and symbols, such as the Commonwealth Games flag and Queen's Baton Relay, as well as the opening and closing ceremonies. Over 5,000 athletes compete at the Commonwealth Games in more than 15 different sports and more than 250 events. The first, second, and third-place finishers in each event receive Commonwealth Games medals: gold, silver, and bronze, respectively. Apart from many Olympic sports, the games also include some sports which are played predominantly in Commonwealth countries but which are not part of the Olympic programme, such as lawn bowls, netball, cricket and squash.

Although there are currently 54 members of the Commonwealth of Nations, 72 teams currently participate in the Commonwealth Games, as it is a feature of the Commonwealth Games that a number of dependent territories who do not compete separately at the Olympic Games, compete in the Commonwealth Games under their own flags. The four Home Nations of the United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland) also send separate teams. For the purposes of the Commonwealth Games, 4 Home Nations, 3 Crown Dependencies and all but three of the inhabited Overseas Territories all of whom are represented by Team GB at the Olympic Games, instead attend as 14 separate delegations. The other three Overseas Territories - British Virgin Islands, Bermuda and Cayman Islands represent themselves at both events.

Nineteen cities in nine countries (counting England, Scotland and Wales separately) have hosted the games. Australia has hosted the Commonwealth Games five times (1938, 1962, 1982, 2006 and 2018); this is more times than any other nation. Two cities have hosted Commonwealth Games more than once: Auckland (1950, 1990) and Edinburgh (1970, 1986).

Only six nations 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.

The most recent Commonwealth Games were held in Gold Coast from 4 to 15 April 2018. The next Commonwealth Games are due to be centred in Birmingham from 28 July to 8 August 2022 although the cycling time trials will start and finish in Wolverhampton. The route of the time trial will cover Sedgley and south Staffordshire with the men's race also passing through Dudley.

History

A sporting competition bringing together the members of the British Empire was first proposed by John Astley Cooper in 1891. He wrote a letter, published in The Times suggesting a "Pan-Britannic-Pan-Anglican Contest and Festival every four years as a means of increasing goodwill and good 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, the Festival of the Empire was held at The Crystal Palace in London to celebrate the coronation of George V and as part of it, an Inter-Empire Championship was held. Teams from Australia, Canada, South Africa, and the United Kingdom competed in athletics, boxing, wrestling and swimming events. Canada won the championships and was presented with a silver cup (gifted by Lord Lonsdale) which was 2 feet 6 inches (76 cm) high and weighed 340 ounces (9.6 kg). However, the 1911 championships brought some criticism, most notably by a correspondent of the Auckland Star, who described them as a "grievous disappointment" that were "not worthy of the title of 'Empire Sports'".

Melville Marks Robinson, who went to the 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam to serve as the manager of the Canadian track and field team, strongly lobbied for the proposal of organising the first British Empire Games in Hamilton in 1930.

Editions

During the 20th century

British Empire Games

The 1930 British Empire Games were the first of what later become known as the Commonwealth Games, and were held in Hamilton, in the province of Ontario in Canada from 16–23 August 1930. Eleven countries sent a total of 400 athletes to the Hamilton Games. The opening and closing ceremonies as well as athletics took place at Civic Stadium, with Lord Willingdon officially starting the Games. The participant nations were Australia, Bermuda, British Guyana, Canada, England, Northern Ireland, Newfoundland, New Zealand, Scotland, South Africa and Wales. The Hamilton Games featured six sports: athletics, boxing, lawn bowls, rowing, swimming and diving and wrestling and ran at a cost of $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.

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 were 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 were held in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. They were timed to coincide with Sydney's sesqui-centenary (150 years since the foundation of British settlement in Australia). 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 was held in Auckland, New Zealand after a 12-year gap from the third edition of the games. The fourth games were originally awarded to Montreal, Canada and were to be held in 1942 but were 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

Statue in Vancouver commemorating the "Miracle Mile" between Roger Bannister and John Landy

The fifth edition of the Games, the 1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Games, were held in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. These were the first Games since the name change from British Empire Games took effect in 1952. 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.

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 12 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, 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 (including South Arabia) competed in the Kingston Games sending a total of 1,316 athletes and officials.

British Commonwealth Games

The 1970 British Commonwealth Games were held in Edinburgh, Scotland. This was the first time the name British Commonwealth Games was adopted, the first time metric units rather than imperial units were used in events, the first time the games were held in Scotland and also the first time that HM Queen Elizabeth II attended in her capacity as Head of the Commonwealth.

The 1974 British Commonwealth Games were held in Christchurch, New Zealand. The Games were officially named "the friendly games", and was also the first edition to feature a theme song, which was called "Join together". Following the massacre of Israeli athletes at the 1972 Munich Olympics, the tenth games at Christchurch were the first multi-sport event to place the safety of participants and spectators as its uppermost requirement. Security guards surrounded the athlete's village and there was an exceptionally high-profile police presence. 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 (since 2018 named Eswatini).

Commonwealth Games

The 1978 Commonwealth Games were held in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. This event was the first to bear the current day name of the Commonwealth Games and also marked a new high as almost 1,500 athletes from 46 countries took part. They were boycotted by Nigeria in protest against New Zealand's sporting contacts with apartheid-era South Africa, as well as by Uganda in protest at alleged Canadian hostility towards the government of Idi Amin.

Opening ceremony of the 1982 Commonwealth Games at Brisbane, Australia

The 1982 Commonwealth Games were held in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. Forty-six nations participated in the Brisbane Games with a new record total of 1,583 athletes and 571 officials. As hosts, Australia headed the medal table leading the way ahead of England, Canada, Scotland and New Zealand respectively. Zimbabwe made its first appearance at the Games, having earlier competed as Southern Rhodesia and as part of Rhodesia and Nyasaland. The theme song for the 1982 Commonwealth Games was called "You're here to win".

The 1986 Commonwealth Games were held in Edinburgh, Scotland and were the second Games to be held in Edinburgh. Participation at the 1986 Games was affected by a boycott by 32 African, Asian and Caribbean nations in protest at British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher's refusal to condemn sporting contacts of apartheid era South Africa in 1985, but the Games rebounded and continued to grow thereafter. Twenty-six nations did attend the second Edinburgh Games and sent a total of 1,662 athletes and 461 officials. The theme song for the 1986 Commonwealth Games was called "Spiri of youth".

The 1990 Commonwealth Games were held in Auckland, New Zealand. It was the fourteenth Commonwealth Games, the third to be hosted by New Zealand and Auckland's second. A new record of 55 nations participated in the second Auckland Games sending 2,826 athletes and officials. Pakistan returned to the Commonwealth in 1989 after withdrawing in 1972, and competed in the 1990 Games after an absence of twenty years. The theme song for the 1990 Commonwealth Games was called "This is the moment".

The 1994 Commonwealth Games were held in Victoria, British Columbia, the fourth to take place in Canada. The games marked South Africa's return to the Commonwealth Games following the apartheid era, and over 30 years since the country last competed in the Games in 1958. Namibia made its Commonwealth Games debut. It was also Hong Kong's last appearance at the games before the transfer of sovereignty from Britain to China. Sixty-three nations sent 2,557 athletes and 914 officials. The theme song for the 1994 Commonwealth Games was called "Let your spirit take flight".

The 1998 Commonwealth Games were held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. For the first time in its 68-year history, the Commonwealth Games were held in Asia. The sixteenth games were also the first Games to feature team sports – an overwhelming success that added large numbers to both participant and TV audience numbers. A new record of 70 countries sent a total of 5,065 athletes and officials to the Kuala Lumpur Games. The top five countries in the medal standing were Australia, England, Canada, Malaysia and South Africa. Nauru also achieved an impressive haul of three gold medals. Cameroon, Mozambique and Kiribati debuted. The theme song for the 1998 Commonwealth Games was called "Forever as one".

During the 21st century

The 2002 Commonwealth Games were held in Manchester, England. The 2002 Games were hosted in England for the first time since 1934 and hosted to coincide with the Golden Jubilee of Elizabeth II, head of the Commonwealth. In terms of sports and events, the 2002 Games were until the 2010 edition the largest Commonwealth Games in history featuring 281 events across 17 sports. The final medal tally was led by Australia, followed by host England and Canada. The 2002 Commonwealth Games had set a new benchmark for hosting the Commonwealth Games and for cities wishing to bid for them with a heavy emphasis on legacy.

Athletics at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) during the 2006 Commonwealth Games, Melbourne

The 2006 Commonwealth Games were held in Melbourne, Australia. The only difference between the 2006 games and the 2002 games was the absence of Zimbabwe, which withdrew from the Commonwealth of Nations. For the first time in the history of the Games the Queen's Baton visited every single Commonwealth nation and territory taking part in the Games, a journey of 180,000 kilometres (110,000 mi). Over 4000 athletes took part in the sporting competitions. Again the Top 3 on the medal table is Australia, followed by England and Canada.

The 2010 Commonwealth Games were held in Delhi, India. The Games cost $11 billion and are the most expensive Commonwealth Games ever. It was the first time that the Commonwealth Games were held in India, also the first time that a Commonwealth republic hosted the games and the second time they were held in Asia after Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in 1998. A total of 6,081 athletes from 71 Commonwealth nations and dependencies competed in 21 sports and 272 events. The final medal tally was led by Australia. The host nation India achieved its best performance ever in any sporting event, finishing second overall. Rwanda made its Games debut.

The 2014 Commonwealth Games were held in Glasgow, Scotland. It was the largest multi-sport event ever held in Scotland with around 4,950 athletes from 71 different nations and territories competing in 18 different sports, outranking the 1970 and 1986 Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh, capital city of Scotland. Usain Bolt competed in the 4×100 metres relay of the 2014 Commonwealth Games and set a Commonwealth Games record with his teammates. The Games received acclaim for their organisation, attendance, and the public enthusiasm of the people of Scotland, with Commonwealth Games Federation chief executive Mike Hooper hailing them as "the standout games in the history of the movement".

The 2018 Commonwealth Games were held on the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia, the fifth time Australia hosted the Games. There were an equal number of events for men and women, the first time in history that a major multi-sport event had equality in terms of events.

The 2022 Commonwealth Games will be held in Birmingham, England. They will be the third Commonwealth Games to be hosted in England following London 1934 and Manchester 2002.

The 2022 Commonwealth Games will also coincide the Platinum Jubilee of Elizabeth II and the 10th anniversary of the 2012 Summer Olympics and the 2012 Summer Paralympics, both staged in London.

On 16 February 2022 was turned public that the 2026 Commonwealth Games will be held for a record sixth time Australia, but for the first time they will be decentralized, as the state of Victoria was signed the host city contract, after a emergential process as another one interest place appeared during the bid process.The games will be centralized again Melbourne but are expected to have venues in Bendigo, Ballarat and another cities and regional centers.Also was confirmated that the 2030 Commonwealth Games was on a way to be awarded to Hamilton, Canada.

On 12 April 2022, Melbourne was declared the host of the 2026 Commonwealth Games.

The three nations to have hosted the Commonwealth Games the most times are Australia (5), Canada (4) and New Zealand (3). Furthermore, six editions have taken place in the countries within the United Kingdom (Scotland (3), England (2) and Wales (1)), twice in Asia (Malaysia (1) and India (1)) and once in the Caribbean (Jamaica (1)).

Paraplegic Games

Main article: Commonwealth Paraplegic Games

Athletes of the 1962 Commonwealth Paraplegic Games at Perth

The Commonwealth Paraplegic Games were an international, multi-sport event involving athletes with a disability from the Commonwealth countries. The event was sometimes referred to as the Paraplegic Empire Games and British Commonwealth Paraplegic Games. Athletes were generally those with spinal injuries or polio. The event was first held in 1962 and disestablished in 1974. The Games were held in the country hosting the Commonwealth Games for able-bodied athletes. The countries that had hosted the Commonwealth Paraplegic Games were Australia, Jamaica, Scotland and New Zealand in 1962, 1966, 1970 and 1974. Six countries – Australia, England, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales — had been represented at all Commonwealth Paraplegic Games. Australia and England had been the top-ranking nation two times each: 1962, 1974 and 1966, 1970.

Inclusion of Para-sports

Athletes with a disability were then first included in exhibition events at the 1994 Commonwealth Games in Victoria, British Columbia, and, at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester, England, they were included as full members of their national teams, making them the first fully inclusive international multi-sport games. This meant that results were included in the medal count.

During the 2007 General Assembly of the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) at Colombo, Sri Lanka, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and CGF signed a co-operative agreement to ensure a formal institutional relationship between the two bodies and secure the future participation of elite athletes with a disability (EAD) in future Commonwealth Games.

IPC President Philip Craven said during the General Assembly:

"We look forward to working with CGF to develop the possibilities of athletes with a disability at the Commonwealth Games and within the Commonwealth. This partnership will help to galvanize Paralympic sports development in Commonwealth countries/territories and seek to create and promote greater opportunities in sport for athletes with a disability".

— IPC President Sir Philip Craven

The co-operation agreement outlined the strong partnership between the IPC and the CGF. It recognised the IPC as the organisation for overseeing the co-ordination and delivery of the Commonwealth Games EAD sports programme and committed both organisations to work together in supporting the growth of the Paralympic and Commonwealth Games Movements.

Winter Games

Main article: Commonwealth Winter Games

St. Moritz, the venue for all three Winter Games from 1958 to 1966

The Commonwealth Winter Games was a multi-sport event comprising winter sports, last held in 1966. Three editions of the Games have been staged. The Winter Games were designed as a counterbalance to the Commonwealth Games, which focuses on summer sports, to accompany the Winter Olympics and Summer Olympic Games. The winter Games were founded by T.D. Richardson. The 1958 Commonwealth Winter Games were held in St. Moritz, Switzerland and was the inaugural games for the winter edition. The 1962 Games were also held in St. Moritz, complementing the 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Perth, Australia, and the 1966 event was held in St. Moritz as well, following which the idea was discontinued.

Youth Games

Main article: Commonwealth Youth Games

The Commonwealth Youth Games is an international multi-sport event organised by the Commonwealth Games Federation. The Games are held every four years with the current Commonwealth Games format. The Commonwealth Games Federation discussed the idea of a Millennium Commonwealth Youth Games in 1997. In 1998 the concept was agreed on for the purpose of providing a Commonwealth multi-sport event for young people born in the calendar year 1986 or later. The first version was held in Edinburgh, Scotland from 10 to 14 August 2000. The age limitation of the athletes is 14 to 18.

Commonwealth Games Federation

Main article: Commonwealth Games Federation

Headquarters of the CGF at the Commonwealth House (centre) in London

The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) is the international organisation responsible for the direction and control of the Commonwealth Games and Commonwealth Youth Games, and is the foremost authority in matters relating to the games. The Commonwealth House in London, England hosts the headquarters of CGF. The Commonwealth House also hosts the headquarters of the Royal Commonwealth Society and the Commonwealth Local Government Forum.

The Commonwealth Games Movement is made of three major elements:

• International Federations (IFs) are the governing bodies that supervise a sport at an international level. For example, the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) is the international governing body for basketball.
• Commonwealth Games Associations (CGAs) represent and regulate the Commonwealth Games Movement within each country and perform similar functions as the National Olympic Committees. For example, the Commonwealth Games England (CGE) is the CGA of England. There are currently 72 CGAs recognised by the CGF.
• Organising Committees for the Commonwealth Games (OCCWGs) are temporary committees responsible for the organisation of each Commonwealth Games. OCCWGs are dissolved after each Games once the final report is delivered to the CGF.

English is the official language of the Commonwealth. The other language used at each Commonwealth Games is the language of the host country (or languages, if a country has more than one official language apart from English). Every proclamation (such as the announcement of each country during the parade of nations in the opening ceremony) is spoken in these two (or more) languages, or the main depending on whether the host country is an English speaking country.

Queen's Baton Relay

Main article: Queen's Baton Relay

The Queen's Jubilee Baton Relay for the 2002 Commonwealth Games

The Queen's Baton Relay, is a relay around the world held prior to the beginning of the Commonwealth Games. The Baton carries a message from the Head of the Commonwealth, currently Queen Elizabeth II. The Relay traditionally begins at Buckingham Palace in London as a part of the city's Commonwealth Day festivities. The Queen entrusts the baton to the first relay runner. At the Opening Ceremony of the Games, the final relay runner hands the baton back to the Queen or her representative, who reads the message aloud to officially open the Games. The Queen's Baton Relay is similar to the Olympic Torch Relay.

The Relay was introduced at the 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Cardiff, Wales. Up until, and including, the 1994 Games, the Relay only went through England and the host nation. The Relay for the 1998 Games in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia was the first to travel to other nations of the Commonwealth. The Gold Coast 2018 Queen's Baton Relay was the longest in Commonwealth Games history. Covering 230,000 km (150,000 miles) over 388 days, the Baton made its way through the six Commonwealth regions of Africa, the Americas, the Caribbean, Europe, Asia and Oceania. For the first time, the Queen's Baton was presented at the Commonwealth Youth Games during its sixth edition in 2017 which were held in Nassau, Bahamas.

Ceremonies

Opening

Opening ceremony of the 2006 Commonwealth Games at Melbourne

Various elements frame the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games. This ceremony takes place before the events have occurred. The ceremony typically starts with the hoisting of the host country's flag and a performance of its national anthem. The flag of the Commonwealth Games Federation, flag of the last hosting nation and the next hosting nation are also hosted during the opening ceremony. The host nation then presents artistic displays of music, singing, dance and theatre representative of its culture. The artistic presentations have grown in scale and complexity as successive hosts attempt to provide a ceremony that outlasts its predecessor's in terms of memorability. The opening ceremony of the Delhi Games reportedly cost $70 million, with much of the cost incurred in the artistic segment.

After the artistic portion of the ceremony, the athletes parade into the stadium grouped by nation. The last hosting nation is traditionally the first nation to enter. Nations then enter the stadium alphabetical or continental wise with the host country's athletes being the last to enter. Speeches are given, formally opening the Games. Finally, the Queen's Baton is brought into the stadium and passed on until it reaches the final baton carrier, often a successful Commonwealth athlete from the host nation, who hands it over to the Head of the Commonwealth or her representative.

Closing

Closing ceremony of the 2010 Commonwealth Games at Delhi

The closing ceremony of the Commonwealth Games takes place after all sporting events have concluded. Flag-bearers from each participating country enter the stadium, followed by the athletes who enter together, without any national distinction. The president of the organising committee and the CGF president make their closing speeches and the Games are officially closed. The CGF president also speaks about the conduct of the games. The mayor of the city that organised the Games transfers the CGF flag to the president of the CGF, who then passes it on to the mayor of the city hosting the next Commonwealth Games. The next host nation then also briefly introduces itself with artistic displays of dance and theatre representative of its culture. Many great artists and singers had performed at the ceremonies of the Commonwealth Games.

At the closing ceremony of every Commonwealth Games the CGF President makes an award and presents a trophy to one athlete who has competed with particular distinction and honour both in terms of athletic performance and overall contribution to his or her team. Athletes are nominated by their Commonwealth Games Association at the end of the final day of competition and the winner is selected by a panel comprising the CGF President and representatives from each of the six Commonwealth Regions. The ‘David Dixon Award’ as it is called was introduced in Manchester 2002, after the late David Dixon, former Honorary Secretary of the CGF, in honour of his monumental contribution to Commonwealth sport for many years.

Medal presentation

A medal ceremony is held after each event is concluded. The winner, second and third-place competitors or teams stand on top of a three-tiered rostrum to be awarded their respective medals. After the medals are given out by a CGF member, the national flags of the three medallists are raised while the national anthem of the gold medallist's country plays. Volunteering citizens of the host country also act as hosts during the medal ceremonies, as they aid the officials who present the medals and act as flag-bearers.

List of Commonwealth Games

1938

1930

1950, 1990

1954

1958

1962

1966

1970, 1986

1974

1978

1982

1994

1998

2002

2006,2026

2010

2014

2018

2022

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Host cities of Commonwealth Games

Year	Edition	Host city	Host nation	Opened by	Sports	Events	Teams	Start date	End date	Competitors	Top nation	Ref
Inter-Empire Championships
1911	–	London	United Kingdom	George V	4	9	4	12 May	1 June	Unknown	Canada

Note The 1911 Inter-Empire Championships held in London (as part of a festival to celebrate the coronation of King George V) is seen as a precursor to the modern Commonwealth Games, but is not normally considered an official edition of the Games themselves. Also, the United Kingdom competed as one country, unlike the Commonwealth Games today when they compete as England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. Canada topped the medal table by winning 4 events.

Year	Edition	Host city	Host state	Host nation	Opened by	Sports	Events	Nations	Start date	End date	Competitors	Top nation	Ref
Commonwealth Games
1930	I	Hamilton	Ontario	Canada	Viscount Willingdon	6	59	11	16 Aug.	23 Aug.	400	England	[1]
1934	II	London		England	George V	6	68	16	4 Aug.	11 Aug.	500	England	[2]
1938	III	Sydney	New South Wales	Australia	Lord Wakehurst	7	71	15	5 Feb.	12 Feb.	464	Australia	[3]
1942	–	Montreal	Quebec	Canada	Cancelled due to World War II
1946	–	Cardiff		Wales
1950	IV	Auckland	Auckland	New Zealand	Sir Bernard Freyberg	9	88	12	4 Feb.	11 Feb.	590	Australia	[4]
1954	V	Vancouver	British Columbia	Canada	Earl Alexander of Tunis	9	91	24	30 July	7 Aug.	662	England	[5]
1958	VI	Cardiff		Wales	Philip, Duke of Edinburgh	9	94	36	18 July	26 July	1122	England	[6]
1962	VII	Perth	Western Australia	Australia		9	104	35	22 Nov.	1 Dec.	863	Australia	[7]
1966	VIII	Kingston		Jamaica		9	110	34	4 Aug.	13 Aug.	1050	England	[8]
1970	IX	Edinburgh	Midlothian	Scotland		9	121	42	16 July	25 July	1383	Australia	[9]
1974	X	Christchurch	Canterbury	New Zealand		9	121	38	24 Jan.	2 Feb.	1276	Australia	[10]
1978	XI	Edmonton	Alberta	Canada	Elizabeth II	10	128	46	3 Aug.	12 Aug.	1474	Canada	[11]
1982	XII	Brisbane	Queensland	Australia	Philip, Duke of Edinburgh	10	142	46	30 Sep.	9 Oct.	1583	Australia	[12]
1986	XIII	Edinburgh	Midlothian	Scotland	Elizabeth II	10	163	26	24 July	2 Aug.	1662	England	[13]
1990	XIV	Auckland	Auckland	New Zealand	Prince Edward	10	204	55	24 Jan.	3 Feb.	2073	Australia	[14]
1994	XV	Victoria	British Columbia	Canada	Elizabeth II	10	217	63	18 Aug.	28 Aug.	2557	Australia	[15]
1998	XVI	Kuala Lumpur		Malaysia	Tuanku Jaafar	15	213	70	11 Sept.	21 Sept.	3633	Australia	[16]
2002	XVII	Manchester		England	Elizabeth II	17	281	72	25 July	4 Aug.	3679	Australia	[17]
2006	XVIII	Melbourne	Victoria	Australia		16	245	71	15 March	26 March	4049	Australia	[18]
2010	XIX	Delhi		India	Pratibha Patil Charles, Prince of Wales	17	272	71	3 Oct.	14 Oct.	4352	Australia	[19]
2014	XX	Glasgow	Lanarkshire & Renfrewshire	Scotland	Elizabeth II	17	261	71	23 July	3 Aug.	4947	England	[20]
2018	XXI	Gold Coast	Queensland	Australia	Charles, Prince of Wales	19	275	71	4 April	15 April	4426	Australia	[21]
2022	XXII	Birmingham[I]	West Midlands	England[I]	Elizabeth II (expected)	20 ^	283 ^	72	28 July	8 Aug.			[22]
2026	XXIII	Melbourne	Victoria[I]	Australia[I]

Note ^{^} The 2022 Commonwealth Shooting and Archery Championships was to be held as a separate event in Chandigarh, India in January 2022. The number of events held and the medals won in the championships would have been counted in the final number of the 2022 Commonwealth Games. However, the event has since been cancelled because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

All-time medal table

Main article: All-time Commonwealth Games medal table

Below is a Top 10 all-time medal table.

Rank	Nation	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
1	Australia (AUS)	932	774	709	2,415
2	England (ENG)	714	715	715	2,144
3	Canada (CAN)	484	516	555	1,555
4	India (IND)	181	173	149	503
5	New Zealand (NZL)	159	220	278	657
6	South Africa (RSA)	130	123	136	389
7	Scotland (SCO)	119	132	200	451
8	Kenya (KEN)	85	75	77	237
9	Nigeria (NGR)	70	75	91	236
10	Wales (WAL)	67	98	141	306
Totals (10 entries)		2,941	2,901	3,051	8,893

List of Commonwealth sports

Further information: Commonwealth Games sports and Commonwealth Games records

There are a total of 23 sports (with three multi-disciplinary sports) and a further seven para-sports which are approved by the Commonwealth Games Federation. Core sports must be included on each programme. A number of optional sports may be picked by the host nation, which may include some team sports such as basketball.

Sport Type Years Archery Core 1982, 2010 Athletics Core 1930–present Para Athletics Core 1994, 2002–present Badminton Core 1966–present Basketball 2006, 2018 Basketball 3x3 Core 2022 Boxing Core 1930–present Cricket Core 1998, 2022 Cycling (Mountain Bike) Core 2002–2006, 2014–present Cycling (Para Track) Core 2014–present Cycling (Road) Core 1938–present Cycling (Track) Core 1934–present Diving 1930–present Hockey Core 1998–present Gymnastics (Artistic) Core 1978, 1990–present Gymnastics (Rhythmic) Core 1978, 1990–1998, 2006–present Judo Core 1990, 2002, 2014 (optional) 2022 (core onwards) Lawn bowls Core 1930–1962, 1970–present

Sport Type Years Para lawn bowls Core 1994, 2002, 2014–present Netball (Women) Core 1998–present Powerlifting Core 2002–present Rugby sevens Core 1998–present Shooting Optional 1966, 1974–2018 Squash Core 1998–present Swimming Core 1930–present Para swimming Core 2002–present Table tennis Core 2002–present Para table tennis Optional 2002–present Triathlon Core 2002–2006, 2014–present Volleyball (beach) Optional 2018–present Weightlifting Core 1950–present Wheelchair basketball Optional Never Wrestling (Freestyle) Core 1930–1986, 1994, 2002, 2010–present

In 2015, the Commonwealth Games Federation agreed large changes to the programme which increased the number of core sports, whilst removing a number of optionals, those removed are listed below.

Sport Type Years Canoeing Optional Never Rowing Optional 1930, 1938–1962, 1986 Sailing Optional Never Softball Optional Never Synchronised swimming Optional 1986–2006

Sport Type Years Taekwondo Optional Never Tennis Optional 2010 Ten-pin bowling Optional 1998 Wrestling (Greco-Roman) Optional 2010 Darts Optional 2002, 2022-Present

Recognised sports are sports which have been approved by the Commonwealth Games Federation but which are deemed to need expansion; host nations may not pick these sports for their programme until the Federation's requirements are fulfilled.

Sport Type Years Billiards Recognised Never Fencing Recognised 1950–1970 Association Football Recognised Never Golf Recognised Never Handball Recognised Never

Sport Type Years Life saving Recognised Never Rugby league Recognised Never Volleyball (indoor) Recognised Never Water Polo Recognised 1950

Participation

Main article: List of participating nations at the Commonwealth Games

Only six teams have attended every Commonwealth Games: Australia, Canada, England, New Zealand, Scotland, and Wales. Australia has been the highest scoring team for thirteen games, England for seven, and Canada for one.

  Countries that have hosted, or plan to host, the event
  Other countries that enter the games
  Countries that have entered the games but no longer do so
0•0 Host cities and year of games

Table of Team Participation by Commonwealth Games Edition
Team	Edition	I	II	III	IV	V	VI	VII	VIII	IX	X	XI	XII	XIII	XIV	XV	XVI	XVII	XVIII	XIX	XX	XXI
	Year	1930	1934	1938	1950	1954	1958	1962	1966	1970	1974	1978	1982	1986	1990	1994	1998	2002	2006	2010	2014	2018
	Host Flag
	Host City	Hamilton	London	Sydney	Auckland	Vancouver	Cardiff	Perth	Kingston	Edinburgh	Christchurch	Edmonton	Brisbane	Edinburgh	Auckland	Victoria	Kuala Lumpur	Manchester	Melbourne	Delhi	Glasgow	Gold Coast
	Participation \\ Host nation	Canada	England	Australia	New Zealand	Canada	Wales	Australia	Jamaica	Scotland	New Zealand	Canada	Australia	Scotland	New Zealand	Canada	Malaysia	England	Australia	India	Scotland	Australia
Aden	1962
Anguilla	1998–
Antigua and Barbuda	1966–1970, 1978, 1994–
Australia	1930–
Bahamas	1954–1970, 1978–1982, 1990–
Bangladesh	1978, 1990–
Barbados	1954–1982, 1990–
Belize	1978, 1994–
Bermuda	1930–1938, 1954–1982, 1990–
Botswana	1974, 1982–
British Guiana	1930–1938, 1954–1962
British Honduras	1962–1966
British Virgin Islands	1990–
Brunei Darussalam	1990–
Cameroon	1998–
Canada	1930–
Cayman Islands	1978–
Ceylon	1938–1950, 1958–1970
Cook Islands	1974–1978, 1986–
Cyprus	1978–1982, 1990–
Dominica	1958–1962, 1970, 1994–
England	1930–
Falkland Islands	1982–
Fiji	1938, 1954–1986, 1998–2006, 2014–
Gambia	1970–1982, 1990–2010, 2018–
Ghana	1958–1982, 1990–
Gibraltar	1958–
Gold Coast	1954
Grenada	1970–1982, 1998–
Guernsey	1970–
Guyana	1966–1970, 1978–1982, 1990–
Hong Kong	1934, 1954–1962, 1970–1994
India	1934–1938, 1954–1958, 1966–1982, 1990–
Ireland	1930
Isle of Man	1958–
Jamaica	1934, 1954–1982, 1990–
Jersey	1958–
Kenya	1954–1982, 1990–
Kiribati	1998–
Lesotho	1974–
Malawi	1970–
Malaya	1950, 1958–1962
Malaysia	1966–1982, 1990–
Maldives	1986–2014, 2022–
Malta	1958–1962, 1970, 1982–
Mauritius	1958, 1966–1982, 1990–
Montserrat	1994–
Mozambique	1998–
Namibia	1994–
Nauru	1990–
Newfoundland	1930–1934
New Zealand	1930–
Nigeria	1950–1958, 1966–1974, 1982, 1990–1994, 2002–
Niue	2002–
Norfolk Island	1986–
North Borneo	1958–1962
Northern Ireland	1934–1938, 1954–
Northern Rhodesia	1954–1958
Pakistan	1954–1970, 1990–
Papua New Guinea	1962–1982, 1990–
Rhodesia and Nyasaland	1962
Rwanda	2010–
Saint Christopher-Nevis-Anguilla	1978
Saint Helena	1982, 1998–
Saint Kitts and Nevis	1990–
Saint Lucia	1962, 1970, 1978, 1994–
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	1958, 1966–1978, 1994–
Samoa	1998–
Sarawak	1958–1962
Scotland	1930–
Seychelles	1990–
Sierra Leone	1958, 1966–1970, 1978, 1990–
Singapore	1958–
Solomon Islands	1982, 1990–
South Africa	1930–1958, 1994–
South Arabia	1966
Southern Rhodesia	1934–1958
Sri Lanka	1974–1982, 1990–
Swaziland	1970–2018
Tanganyika	1962
Tanzania	1966–1982, 1990–
Tonga	1974, 1982, 1990–
Trinidad and Tobago	1934–1982, 1990–
Turks and Caicos Islands	1978, 1998–
Tuvalu	1998–
Uganda	1954–1974, 1982, 1990–
Vanuatu	1982–
Wales	1930–
Western Samoa	1974–1994
Zambia	1970–1982, 1990–
Zimbabwe	1982, 1990–2002
Legend
Participated   Withdrew for political reason   Not eligible to participate   To be determined

---

Nation Years participated Aden 1962 Anguilla 1998– Australasia 1911 Antigua and Barbuda 1966–1970, 1978, 1994– Australia 1930– Bahamas 1954–1970, 1978–1982, 1990– Bangladesh 1978, 1990– Barbados 1954–1982, 1990– Belize 1978, 1994– Bermuda 1930–1938, 1954–1982, 1990– Botswana 1974, 1982– British Guiana 1930–1938, 1954–1962 British Honduras 1962–1966 British Virgin Islands 1990– Brunei Darussalam 1990– Cameroon 1998– Canada 1911, 1930– Cayman Islands 1978– Ceylon 1938–1950, 1958–1970 Cook Islands 1974–1978, 1986– Cyprus 1978–1982, 1990– Dominica 1958–1962, 1970, 1994– England 1930– Falkland Islands 1982– Fiji 1938, 1954–1986, 1998–2006, 2014– Gambia 1970–1982, 1990–2010, 2018– Ghana 1958–1982, 1990– Gibraltar 1958– Gold Coast 1954 Grenada 1970–1982, 1998– Guernsey 1970– Guyana 1966–1970, 1978–1982, 1990– Hong Kong 1934, 1954–1962, 1970–1994 India 1934–1938, 1954–1958, 1966–1982, 1990– Ireland 1930 Irish Free State 1934 Isle of Man 1958– Jamaica 1934, 1954–1982, 1990– Jersey 1958– Kenya 1954–1982, 1990– Kiribati 1998– Lesotho 1974– Malawi 1970– Malaya 1950, 1958–1962 Malaysia 1966–1982, 1990– Maldives 1986–2014, 2020– Malta 1958–1962, 1970, 1982–

Nation Years participated Mauritius 1958–1982, 1990– Montserrat 1994– Mozambique 1998– Namibia 1994– Nauru 1990– Newfoundland 1930–1934 New Zealand 1930– Nigeria 1950–1958, 1966–1974, 1982, 1990–1994, 2002– Niue 2002– Norfolk Island 1986– North Borneo 1958–1962 Northern Ireland 1934–1938, 1954– Northern Rhodesia 1954–1958 Pakistan 1954–1970, 1990– Papua New Guinea 1962–1982, 1990– Rhodesia and Nyasaland 1962 Rwanda 2010– Saint Christopher-Nevis-Anguilla 1978 Saint Helena 1982, 1998– Saint Kitts and Nevis 1990– Saint Lucia 1962, 1970, 1978, 1994– Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1958, 1966–1978, 1994– Samoa 1998– Sarawak 1958–1962 Scotland 1930– Seychelles 1990– Sierra Leone 1958, 1966–1970, 1978, 1990– Singapore 1958– Solomon Islands 1982, 1990– South Africa 1911–1958, 1994– South Arabia 1966 Southern Rhodesia 1934–1958 Sri Lanka 1974–1982, 1990– Swaziland 1970–2018 Tanganyika 1962 Tanzania 1966–1982, 1990– Tonga 1974, 1982, 1990– Trinidad and Tobago 1934–1982, 1990– Turks and Caicos Islands 1978, 1998– Tuvalu 2002– Uganda 1954–1974, 1982, 1990– United Kingdom 1911 Vanuatu 1982– Wales 1930– Western Samoa 1974–1994 Zambia 1970–1982, 1990– Zimbabwe 1982, 1990–2002

Notes

Commonwealth nations yet to send teams

Very few Commonwealth dependencies and nations have yet to take part:

• Ascension Island and Tristan da Cunha, former dependencies of Saint Helena and current parts of the British Overseas Territory of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha, have never formed their own teams independent from the Saint Helena team.
• Other states, territories, and territorial autonomies with native populations within the Commonwealth that may be eligible include Christmas Island and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands (territories of Australia), Nevis (a federal entity of the Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis), Rodrigues (Outer Islands of Mauritius), and Zanzibar (a semi-autonomous part of Tanzania).
• Cornwall, represented by the Cornwall Commonwealth Games Association (CCGA), sent a bid for participation in the 2006 Commonwealth Games in 2004. However, their application was rejected by the CGF, who stated that the constitutional status of Cornwall was not an issue that should be resolved through this medium.
• The British Indian Ocean Territory currently has no permanent population although there is a sizeable population who were born in the BIOT but currently live in Mauritius and the United Kingdom and so would be eligible to compete on birth criteria.
• Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus has made applications to the CGF to send teams.
• It is also conceivable that any future members of the Commonwealth such as applicants (for example South Sudan, Sudan and Yemen) may participate in future games. The Colony of Aden and Federation of South Arabia, precursors to modern Yemen, participated before in 1962 and in 1966. Sudan was an Anglo-Egyptian protectorate until independence in 1956.
• The Pitcairn Islands' tiny population (currently 50 to 60 people) would appear to prevent this British overseas territory from competing.
• Tokelau was expected to take part in the 2010 Games in Delhi but did not do so.
• The lack of a permanent population would seem to prevent the British overseas territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands and British Antarctic Territory, the New Zealand territory of Ross Dependency and the Australian external territories of Australian Antarctic Territory, Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Coral Sea Islands and Heard Island and McDonald Islands from competing.

Controversies

Host city contract

The 1934 British Empire Games, originally awarded in 1930 to Johannesburg, were moved to London after South Africa's pre-apartheid government refused to allow participants of colour.

The 2022 Commonwealth Games were originally awarded to Durban on 2 September 2015, at the CGF General Assembly in Auckland. It was reported in February 2017 that Durban may be unable to host the games due to financial constraints. On 13 March 2017, the CGF stripped Durban of their rights to host and reopened the bidding process for the 2022 games. Many cities from Australia, Canada, England and Malaysia expressed interest to host the games. However, the CGF received only one official bid and that was from Birmingham, England. On 21 December 2017, Birmingham was awarded for the 2022 Games as Durban's replacement host.

Boycotts

Nigeria boycotted the 1978 Commonwealth Games at Edmonton in protest of New Zealand's sporting contacts with apartheid-era South Africa. Uganda also stayed away, in protest of alleged Canadian hostility towards the government of Idi Amin.

Countries boycotting the 1986 Games are shaded red

During the 1986 Commonwealth Games at Edinburgh, a majority of the Commonwealth nations staged a boycott, so that the Games appeared to be a whites-only event. Thirty two of the eligible fifty nine countries—largely African, Asian and Caribbean states—stayed away because of the Thatcher government's policy of keeping Britain's sporting links with apartheid South Africa in preference to participating in the general sporting boycott of that country. Consequently, Edinburgh 1986 witnessed the lowest number of athletes since Auckland 1950. The boycotting nations were Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Bermuda, Belize, Cyprus, Dominica, Gambia, Ghana, Guyana, Grenada, India, Jamaica, Kenya, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Sierra Leone, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, Mauritius, Trinidad and Tobago, Tanzania, Turks and Caicos Islands, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Bermuda was a particularly late withdrawal, as its athletes appeared in the opening ceremony and in the opening day of competition before the Bermuda Olympic Association decided to formally withdraw.

Financial implications

The estimated cost of the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi were US$11 billion, according to Business Today magazine. The initial total budget estimated by the Indian Olympic Association in 2003 was US$250 million. In 2010, however, the official total budget soon escalated to an estimated US$1.8 billion, a figure which excluded non-sports-related infrastructure development. The 2010 Commonwealth Games are reportedly the most expensive Commonwealth Games ever.

An analysis conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers on the 2002, 2006, 2014 and 2018 Commonwealth Games found that each dollar spent by governments on operating costs, games venues and athletes’ villages generated $2 for the host city or state economies, with an average of more than 18,000 jobs generated by each of the events. Additionally, all four cities enjoyed long-term improvements to transport or other infrastructure through hosting the Games, while some also benefited from the revival of struggling precincts.

Notable competitors

Lawn bowler Willie Wood from Scotland was the first competitor to have competed in seven Commonwealth Games, from 1974 to 2002, a record equalled in 2014 by Isle of Man cyclist Andrew Roche.

They have both been surpassed by David Calvert of Northern Ireland who in 2018 attended his 11th games.

Greg Yelavich, a sports shooter from New Zealand, has won 12 medals in seven games from 1986 to 2010.

Lawn Bowler Robert Weale has represented Wales in 8 Commonwealth Games, 1986–2014, winning 2 gold, 3 silver and 1 bronze.

Nauruan weightlifter Marcus Stephen won twelve medals at the Games between 1990 and 2002, of which seven gold, and was elected President of Nauru in 2007. His performance has helped place Nauru (the smallest independent state in the Commonwealth, at 21 km² (8.1 sq mi) and with a population of fewer than 9,400 in 2011) in twenty second place on the all-time Commonwealth Games medal table.

Ian Thorpe, Australian swimmer (now retired), has won 10 Commonwealth Games gold medals and 1 silver medal. At the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur, he won 4 gold medals. At the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester, he won 6 gold medals and 1 silver medal.

Chad le Clos, South Africa's most decorated swimmer, has won 17 medals from just three Commonwealth Games (2010, 2014 & 2018), seven of which are gold. At the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, he won two gold medals, one silver medal, and four bronze medals. At the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast, he won three golds, a silver and a bronze.

English actor Jason Statham took part as a diver in the 1990 Commonwealth Games.

See also

• African Games
• Asian Games
• Commonwealth Youth Games
• European Games
• Jeux de la Francophonie
• Lusophony Games
• Olympic Games
• Pacific Games
• Pan American Games
• Paralympic Games
• Youth Olympic Games
• World Games
• Commonwealth Mountain and Ultradistance Running Championships
• List of Commonwealth Games venues
• List of stamps depicting the Commonwealth Games
• List of Commonwealth Games mascots

Sources

• Brown, Geoff and Hogsbjerg, Christian. Apartheid is not a Game: Remembering the Stop the Seventy Tour campaign. London: Redwords, 2020. ISBN 9781912926589.

Further reading

• Phillips, Bob. Honour of Empire, Glory of Sport: the history of athletics at the Commonwealth Games. Manchester: Parrswood Press, 2000. ISBN 9781903158098.

External links

• Official website
• Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) at the Commonwealth website
• "Commonwealth Games". Encyclopædia Britannica Online.
• Template:Curlie
• insidethegames – the latest and most up to date news and interviews from the world of Olympic, Commonwealth and Paralympic Games
• ATR – Around the Rings – the Business Surrounding the Multi-sport events
• GamesBids.com – An Authoritative Review of Games Bid Business (home of the BidIndex™)