History and Overview of the Commonwealth Games
HISTORY AND OVERVIEW OF THE COMMONWEALTH GAMES
BY
MARTINS BEN IGWE
THE COMMONWEALTH FAMILY
The Commonwealth is an association of independent sovereign states spread over every continent and ocean. The Commonwealth’s 2 billion people make up 30% of the world’s population and are of many faiths, races, languages, cultures and traditions. The Commonwealth Games Family is best described as all persons who are entitled to accreditation at the Games under the provisions of the CGF.
COMMONWEALTH GAMES FEDERATION (CGF)
The CGF is the governing body of the Commonwealth Games with the overall responsibility for the direction and control of the Games. The Patron is Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and the Vice Patron is HRH the Earl of Wessex. Other members of the governing body are the President, Executive Board Members, Committees, Staff and Distinguished Guests of the CGF, Secretary General of the Commonwealth Sovereigns, Heads of State & Government (including royalty), Future Organising Committees, World Anti Doping Association and the Court of Arbitration for Sports.
THE HISTORY OF THE COMMONWEALTH GAMES
The Commonwealth games were first held in 1930 in a city called Hamilton, Canada where 11 countries sent 400 athletes to take part in 6 sports and 59 events. Bobby Robinson, a major influence within athletics in Canada at the time, finally implemented the event that had been talked about amongst Commonwealth nations for over thirty years with the City of Hamilton providing $30,000 to help cover travelling costs of the participating nations.
Since then, the Games have been conducted every four years, except for 1942 and 1946 due to the World War II. The event has seen many changes, not least in its name. From 1930 to 1950 the Games were known as the British Empire Games, from 1954 until 1966 the British Empire and Commonwealth Games and from 1970 to 1974 they took on the title of British Commonwealth Games. It was the 1978 Games in
BY
MARTINS BEN IGWE
THE COMMONWEALTH FAMILY
The Commonwealth is an association of independent sovereign states spread over every continent and ocean. The Commonwealth’s 2 billion people make up 30% of the world’s population and are of many faiths, races, languages, cultures and traditions. The Commonwealth Games Family is best described as all persons who are entitled to accreditation at the Games under the provisions of the CGF.
COMMONWEALTH GAMES FEDERATION (CGF)
The CGF is the governing body of the Commonwealth Games with the overall responsibility for the direction and control of the Games. The Patron is Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and the Vice Patron is HRH the Earl of Wessex. Other members of the governing body are the President, Executive Board Members, Committees, Staff and Distinguished Guests of the CGF, Secretary General of the Commonwealth Sovereigns, Heads of State & Government (including royalty), Future Organising Committees, World Anti Doping Association and the Court of Arbitration for Sports.
THE HISTORY OF THE COMMONWEALTH GAMES
The Commonwealth games were first held in 1930 in a city called Hamilton, Canada where 11 countries sent 400 athletes to take part in 6 sports and 59 events. Bobby Robinson, a major influence within athletics in Canada at the time, finally implemented the event that had been talked about amongst Commonwealth nations for over thirty years with the City of Hamilton providing $30,000 to help cover travelling costs of the participating nations.
Since then, the Games have been conducted every four years, except for 1942 and 1946 due to the World War II. The event has seen many changes, not least in its name. From 1930 to 1950 the Games were known as the British Empire Games, from 1954 until 1966 the British Empire and Commonwealth Games and from 1970 to 1974 they took on the title of British Commonwealth Games. It was the 1978 Games in