Commonwealth Games

The Commonwealth Games is a major international multi-sport event held every four years.

It brings together athletes from across the Commonwealth of Nations. This is a political association containing most former territories of the British Empire. People often call the event the "Friendly Games." This name highlights the spirit of the competition. The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) manages the entire event. The CGF decides on the sporting programme and awards hosting rights to cities.

The Games are unique because of their deep heritage and inclusive nature.

The event follows specific traditions that set it apart from other competitions. One major tradition is the King's Baton Relay. This relay serves as a prelude to the opening ceremonies. Another tradition involves the ceremonial hoisting of the official Commonwealth Games flag. The Games have also moved toward significant social changes. In 2002, athletes with disabilities were integrated as full team members. In 2018, the Games became the first global multi-sport event to offer equal medal events for men and women. By 2022, the number of women's events actually outnumbered the men's events for the first time.

The sporting programme includes many different types of disciplines. Some are mainstream Olympic sports, while others are specifically popular within the Commonwealth. For example, the Games feature netball, lawn bowls, and squash. These sports allow athletes to showcase specialized skills. The competition structure is managed through 74 active Commonwealth Games Associations. These associations are divided into six geographic regions: Africa, the Americas, the Caribbean, Europe, Asia, and Oceania.

These groups function similarly to National Olympic Committees in their respective territories.

The history of the Games began with early ideas in the late 19th century. In 1891, John Astley Cooper proposed a "Pan Brittanic" contest to increase goodwill. This idea inspired the modern Olympic movement. In 1911, an Inter-Empire Championship was held at The Crystal Palace in London. This event celebrated the coronation of George V. Later, Melville Marks Robinson played a vital role in creating the first official Games. He lobbied to host the event in Canada. This resulted in the 1930 British Empire Games in Hamilton, Ontario.

The first Games featured 400 athletes from eleven different countries.

The name of the event has changed as the world changed. From 1930 to 1950, they were the British Empire Games. From 1954 to 1966, they were the British Empire and Commonwealth Games. The name shifted again to the British Commonwealth Games until 1974. Since 1978, the official name has been the Commonwealth Games. This modern name reflects the decolonization of the Empire.

The 1954 Vancouver Games were notable for the "Miracle Mile." In this race, Roger Bannister and John Landy both ran sub-four-minute miles. This event was televised live to a global audience for the first time.

Many cities have hosted the Games over the decades. So far, twenty cities in nine countries have hosted the event. Australia has hosted the most editions with five. Both Auckland and Edinburgh have hosted twice. Glasgow is set to become the third city to host twice. Glasgow hosted in 2014 and will host again in 2026. The 2026 Games will be smaller, featuring only ten sports. This change follows the withdrawal of Victoria, Australia, due to cost concerns. The Victorian government will provide over £2 million to help Glasgow.

The 2030 Games, known as the Centenary Games, will be held in Ahmedabad, India.

The Games connect many different types of political entities. Unlike the Olympics, the Commonwealth Games allow representation from fifteen associations that are not sovereign states. This includes the four Home Nations of the United Kingdom. It also includes the Crown Dependencies and several British Overseas Territories. Places like Norfolk Island and Niue also participate. Some territories, such as Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, and the Cayman Islands, are recognized as independent National Olympic Committees by the International Olympic Committee. This structure allows a wide variety of cultures and territories to compete together on a single stage.