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About The Commonwealth Games
Contents Of This Article
> A Brief Summary Of The Games
> A History Of The Games
# Name Changes
# Countries Participating
# Boycotts
> What Goes On At The Games?
> What About 2006?
# How Long?
# Mascots
# Honoury Coin
A Brief Summary Of The Games
The Commonwealth Games is a sporting event held every four years since 1930. The competitors come from all areas of the Commonwealth. Many countries have competed but to date, only six nations have competed in every one of the Commonwealth Games. They include:
- England (
) - Scotland (
) - Wales (
) - Australia (
) - Canada (
) - New Zealand (
)
The games were set up in 1930 by the name of the British Empire Games. Eleven nations participated. They were:
- Australia ()
- Bermuda (
) - Canada ()
- England ()
- Guyana (
) - Ireland (
) - Newfoundland (
) - New Zeland ()
- Scotland ()
- South Africa (
) - Wales ()
Four years later, the name of the games was changed once more to the British Empire and Commonwealth Games. Wherefore, the British Empire Games flag (see in images above) was abolished.
Later in 1970, the name of the games was again changed. This time is was to the British Commonwealth Games. At that point the BCG seal was created (see in images above).
Since then, the games has had many threatened and enacted boycotts. In 1974 a boycott was threatened because of South Africa as well as in 1982 and 1990. However, in 1978 one was enacted in protest of New Zealand's sporting contacts with South Africa.
Boycotts were also carried out in 1986 by 32 nations from Africa, Asia and the Caribbean due to Margret Thatcher's government attitude towards South African sporting contacts.
Just eight years after its previous name change, it was shortened once more to what we know the games as today. The Commmonwealth Games.
What Goes On At The Games?
Nowdays many sports are played at the games which range from swiming to lawn bowls. However only 7 of the current 24 games have been played since the beginning.
Since 2002 EAD games have been added. EAD means Events for Athletes With A Disablity.
Below is a list of all the games that are being played in 2006 and when they were held in previous years:
- Athletics (Men) (1930-)
- Athletics (Women) (1934-)
- Athletics (Disabled) (2002-)
- Badminton (1966-)
- Basketball (2006-)
- Boxing (1930-)
- Cycling (1934-)
- Diving (1930-)
- Gym (1978, 1990-)
- Hockey (1998-)
- Lawn Bowls (1930-1962, 1968-)
- Netball (1998-)
- Power Lifting (Disabled) (2002-)
- Rugby Sevens (1998-)
- Shooting (1966, 1974-)
- Squash (1998-)
- Swimming (1930-)
- Swimming (Disabled) (2002-)
- Synchronised Swimming (1930-)
- Table Tennis (2002-)
- Table Tennis (Disabled) (2002-)
- Triatholon (2002-)
- Water Polo (1930-)
- Weight Lifting (1950-)
This year the games will be held in Melbourne, Australia and will last 11 days. They will begin on March 15th and end of March 26th and will be a momentous event for the city as this is the largest sporting event ever to be held there.
The mascot for the event is a red-tailed black cockatoo which is a threatened species. Both the opening and closing ceremonies are going to be held in Melbourne Cricket Ground.
To view the games, all you need is a TV. Many broadcasting stations have decided to record the games such as BBC1, BBC2, BBCi, TVNz and FoxSports.
Australia has also produced a lovely 50-cent coin in honour of the games:
[hr=noshade]So, whatever country you're in or supporting, good luck![/hr]
*Images courtesy of wikimedia foundation inc
, but atleast its school holidays. Anyone else having the same dillema?
