commonwealth games

The Commonwealth Games is a quadrennial international multi-sport event that brings together athletes from across the Commonwealth of Nations, a political association comprising the majority of former territories of the British Empire. First held as the British Empire Games in 1930, the event has evolved through several name changes, reflecting the changing geopolitical landscape and gradual decolonisation of the Empire. It was known as the British Empire Games until 1950, the British Empire and Commonwealth Games until 1966, and the British Commonwealth Games until 1974. Since the 1978 edition, the event has been officially known as the Commonwealth Games, a name that reflects its modern identity while maintaining its historic connection to Britain. The games are also referred to as the Friendly Games. The Games, one of the oldest multi-sports events outside of the modern Olympic Games, directly inspired similar events such as Jeux de la Francophonie and the Lusofonia Games for former French and Portuguese territories respectively.
The Games is overseen by Commonwealth Sport, which determines the sporting programme and awards hosting rights. The event upholds its unique traditions, such as the King's Baton Relay and the ceremonial hoisting of the Commonwealth Games flag. It is distinguished from other international sporting competitions by its inclusivity and heritage. Athletes with a disability have been integrated as full team members since 2002, and in 2018, the Games became the first global multi-sport competition to offer equal medal events for men and women. By 2022, women's events outnumbered men's for the first time. In addition to mainstream Olympic sports, the Commonwealth Games includes disciplines such as netball, lawn bowls and squash, which enjoy particular popularity within the Commonwealth.
The origins of the Games lie in the Inter-Empire Championships of 1911, with Melville Marks Robinson playing a pivotal role in establishing the first official Games in Hamilton, Canada. Over time, associated events such as the Commonwealth Youth Games and the now-defunct Commonwealth Paraplegic Games have further expanded participation. Unlike the Olympics and other global competitions, the Commonwealth Games permit representation from fifteen Commonwealth Games Associations that are not sovereign states. These include the four Home Nations of the United Kingdom, the Crown Dependencies, several British Overseas Territories, Norfolk Island (Australia) and Niue (New Zealand). Notably, despite being non-sovereign, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands and Cayman Islands are recognised as independent National Olympic Committees by the International Olympic Committee.
To date, twenty cities in nine countries have hosted the Games. Auckland, Edinburgh and Glasgow have hosted twice. The most recent edition is currently being held in Glasgow in 2026. Originally, the 2026 Commonwealth Games were awarded to Victoria in Australia, but cost concerns led to the state's withdrawal. Subsequently, Glasgow was confirmed as the replacement host city. The current Games are markedly smaller in scale, featuring only ten sports. As part of a settlement agreement, the Victorian government will provide over £2 million to the Glasgow organisers. The next edition of the Games, the twenty-third or XXIII, is currently ongoing in Glasgow until 2 August 2026 while the immediate future of the Games was secured with the announcement in 2025 that the 2030 Commonwealth Games (which will be both the XXIV Games and the Centenary Games) had been awarded to Ahmedabad, India.

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