Commonwealth Games

The Commonwealth Games is a multi-sport event held every four years involving the elite athletes of The Commonwealth. The first such event, then known as the British Empire Games, was held in 1930. The name changed to British Empire and Commonwealth Games in 1954, to British Commonwealth Games in 1970 and assumed the current name of the Commonwealth Games in 1978.

Boycotts and Criticism

The Commonwealth Games, like the Olympic Games, has also suffered the spectre of political boycotts. Nigeria boycotted the 1978 Commonwealth Games because of New Zealand's sporting contacts with South Africa, and in the biggest political threat to the future of the games, 32 nations from Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean boycotted the 1986 Commonwealth Games because of the UK's attitude to South African sporting contacts, thus reducing the number of competing nations to 27. Boycott threats also hung over the Games in 1974, 1982, and 1990, because of South Africa.

Related Topics:
Boycott - Nigeria - 1978 Commonwealth Games - South Africa - Africa - Asia - Caribbean - 1986 Commonwealth Games - 1974 - 1982 - 1990

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On a smaller scale, a lot of people dislike the idea of the Games because of their imperialistic, and hence essentially, some say, racist background. However, most people eventually get caught up in the enthusiasm of the event, and athletes themselves are overall pleased to have another big event on their calendars, and hence another chance to win medals.

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