COMMONWEALTH GAMES—FRIENDLY GAMES
By
Suresh Kumar Lau
Associate Professor
University of Delhi
History of Friendship
The Commonwealth is a unique family of 53 members which promotes respect, encourages trust and works towards economic prosperity for its members. It’s 2 billions people account for 30 per cent of the world’s population and are many languages, races, faith, traditions and cultures. At one time it was said that “The sun never sets on the British Empire”. There was a good reason for the expression, for Britain once governed one of the largest empires the world had ever known. That Empire no longer exists. Of the many lands that once made up, the old empire, most are now independent sovereign states that belong to an organization called Commonwealth of Nations. It is an association of independent countries and other political units that have lived under British law and government.
The Commonwealth evolved from United Kingdom’s imperial past, through decolonization, two world wars and change in international relations. In 1867, Canada was the first colony to get self-governing “Dominion” status, which implies equality with the UK. In 1884, British politician Lord Rosebery described the changing empire as a “Commonwealth of Nations”. Australia joined in 1900 and New Zealand (1907), South Africa (1910) and the Irish Free States (1921) followed. At the 1926 Imperial conference, the attending prime ministers adopted the Balfour Report defining Dominions as autonomous communities within the British Empire, equal in status, united by common allegiance to the crown and associated as members of the British Commonwealth of Nations.
World War-II changed the British Commonwealth’s nature. It became a multiracial association after India and Pakistan achieved independence. With India’s wish to become a republic and still remain in Commonwealth membership had to be rethought.
The modern Commonwealth was born in 1949. With the London Declaration of 1949, Commonwealth prime ministers welcomed India as Commonwealth’s first republican member. The word “British” was dropped to reflect Commonwealth’s new reality. The Commonwealth’s opposition to apartheid led to South Africa’s withdrawal in 1961. (In 1994 after the end of apartheid it rejoined the association). In 1972 Pakistan left the Commonwealth when other Commonwealth members recognised the independence of Bangladesh (formerly East Pakistan). Bangladesh was admitted as a member and Pakistan rejoined in 1989. From a club of former colonies, the Commonwealth of Nations has grown into contemporary international association in tune with times without losing its history of friendship. In 1970, Queen Elizabeth II wrote about the Commonwealth as “… rather a special family, a family of nations …”.
Festival of Empire
The Commonwealth Games developed from the earlier Empire Games. The Empire Games were designed specifically to bring together the nations of the British Empire in a friendly competition. The British Empire Games was brainwork to be inspired by the Reverend Astley Cooper (1858-1930). In July 1891 he wrote in “Great Britain” magazine and later on October 31, 1891 in ‘The Times’ with a plan for festival “to draw closer the ties between Nations of the Empire.” Yorkshireman, the Reverend Cooper became involved in Olympic movement in Britain, but his notion generated a great deal of interest in Britain and the British Colonies. The idea took a shape when a Festival of Empire was held at the Crystal Place, London on June 24, 1911 as a part of the coronation celebrations of His Majesty King George V (1865-1936), second son of Edward VII. As part of the festival an Inter-Empire Championship was held in which teams from Australasia (Australia, New Zealand, Tasmania), Canada, South Africa, United Kingdom competed in events such as Athletics (5 events), Swimming (2 events), Boxing (1 event) and Wrestling (1 event). Canada was declared the overall winner by achieving one point more than the United Kingdom.
The Friendly Games
It was the initiative of Norton Hervey Crow which brought British Empire Games dreams to reality on September 25, 1924 at the Fort Garry Hotel in Winnipeg. N. Hervey Crow, in his concluding address to the Amateur Athletic Union after 19 years as Secretary said ‘you could consider the advisability of taking the initiative in all-British Empire Games to be held in between Olympic Games.’ On 27th September, 1924 the AAU Committee Unanimously passed crow’s idea. The first city to resolve it could handle the games and their organization was Hamilton, Ontario, then with population of some 15,5,000. Their viability study was approved. The principle was that the games were to be less rigorous — the Friendly Games was to be the motto.
In 1928, Melville Mark (Bobby) Robinson of Canada was asked to organise the first British Empire Games. The first games, called the British Empire Games took place in 1930 in Hamilton, Canada. From 1930 to 1950 (no games were held in 1942 and 1946), the games were known as the British Empire Games; from 1954 to 1962 as the British Empire and Commonwealth Games, from 1966 to 1974 as the British Commonwealth Games and since 1978 as the Commonwealth Games. The festival of sports has undergone name changes that reflects the growing political maturity of fellow member countries.
British Empire Games:
1930: Hamilton, Ontario, 1934: London, 1938: Sydney and 1950: Auckland
British Empire and Commonwealth Games:
1954: Vancouver, 1958: Cardiff, 1962: Perth 1966: Kingston
1970: Edinburgh and 1974: Christchurch
Commonwealth Games:
1978: Edmonton, 1982: Brisbane, 1986: Edinburgh, 1990: Auckland, 1994: Victoria, 1998: Kuala Lumpur, 2002: Manchester, 2006: Melbourne and 2010: New Delhi
These name changes reflected the transformation of the British Empire, since nearly all colonies had become independent nations by the 1960s.
The Commonwealth Games, like the Olympic Games have suffered from the effects of world politics. Black African Commonwealth countries have boycotted the games several occasions in protest against other Commonwealth countries having sporting links with South Africa. Between 1930 and 1958, white South Africans won 190 medals (72 gold, 60 silver and 58 bronzes) in the British Empire and Commonwealth Games. The games have suffered from boycotts, especially that of 1986, but these have never been on the scale of those that have affected the Olympics.
By
Suresh Kumar Lau
Associate Professor
University of Delhi
History of Friendship
The Commonwealth is a unique family of 53 members which promotes respect, encourages trust and works towards economic prosperity for its members. It’s 2 billions people account for 30 per cent of the world’s population and are many languages, races, faith, traditions and cultures. At one time it was said that “The sun never sets on the British Empire”. There was a good reason for the expression, for Britain once governed one of the largest empires the world had ever known. That Empire no longer exists. Of the many lands that once made up, the old empire, most are now independent sovereign states that belong to an organization called Commonwealth of Nations. It is an association of independent countries and other political units that have lived under British law and government.
The Commonwealth evolved from United Kingdom’s imperial past, through decolonization, two world wars and change in international relations. In 1867, Canada was the first colony to get self-governing “Dominion” status, which implies equality with the UK. In 1884, British politician Lord Rosebery described the changing empire as a “Commonwealth of Nations”. Australia joined in 1900 and New Zealand (1907), South Africa (1910) and the Irish Free States (1921) followed. At the 1926 Imperial conference, the attending prime ministers adopted the Balfour Report defining Dominions as autonomous communities within the British Empire, equal in status, united by common allegiance to the crown and associated as members of the British Commonwealth of Nations.
World War-II changed the British Commonwealth’s nature. It became a multiracial association after India and Pakistan achieved independence. With India’s wish to become a republic and still remain in Commonwealth membership had to be rethought.
The modern Commonwealth was born in 1949. With the London Declaration of 1949, Commonwealth prime ministers welcomed India as Commonwealth’s first republican member. The word “British” was dropped to reflect Commonwealth’s new reality. The Commonwealth’s opposition to apartheid led to South Africa’s withdrawal in 1961. (In 1994 after the end of apartheid it rejoined the association). In 1972 Pakistan left the Commonwealth when other Commonwealth members recognised the independence of Bangladesh (formerly East Pakistan). Bangladesh was admitted as a member and Pakistan rejoined in 1989. From a club of former colonies, the Commonwealth of Nations has grown into contemporary international association in tune with times without losing its history of friendship. In 1970, Queen Elizabeth II wrote about the Commonwealth as “… rather a special family, a family of nations …”.
Festival of Empire
The Commonwealth Games developed from the earlier Empire Games. The Empire Games were designed specifically to bring together the nations of the British Empire in a friendly competition. The British Empire Games was brainwork to be inspired by the Reverend Astley Cooper (1858-1930). In July 1891 he wrote in “Great Britain” magazine and later on October 31, 1891 in ‘The Times’ with a plan for festival “to draw closer the ties between Nations of the Empire.” Yorkshireman, the Reverend Cooper became involved in Olympic movement in Britain, but his notion generated a great deal of interest in Britain and the British Colonies. The idea took a shape when a Festival of Empire was held at the Crystal Place, London on June 24, 1911 as a part of the coronation celebrations of His Majesty King George V (1865-1936), second son of Edward VII. As part of the festival an Inter-Empire Championship was held in which teams from Australasia (Australia, New Zealand, Tasmania), Canada, South Africa, United Kingdom competed in events such as Athletics (5 events), Swimming (2 events), Boxing (1 event) and Wrestling (1 event). Canada was declared the overall winner by achieving one point more than the United Kingdom.
The Friendly Games
It was the initiative of Norton Hervey Crow which brought British Empire Games dreams to reality on September 25, 1924 at the Fort Garry Hotel in Winnipeg. N. Hervey Crow, in his concluding address to the Amateur Athletic Union after 19 years as Secretary said ‘you could consider the advisability of taking the initiative in all-British Empire Games to be held in between Olympic Games.’ On 27th September, 1924 the AAU Committee Unanimously passed crow’s idea. The first city to resolve it could handle the games and their organization was Hamilton, Ontario, then with population of some 15,5,000. Their viability study was approved. The principle was that the games were to be less rigorous — the Friendly Games was to be the motto.
In 1928, Melville Mark (Bobby) Robinson of Canada was asked to organise the first British Empire Games. The first games, called the British Empire Games took place in 1930 in Hamilton, Canada. From 1930 to 1950 (no games were held in 1942 and 1946), the games were known as the British Empire Games; from 1954 to 1962 as the British Empire and Commonwealth Games, from 1966 to 1974 as the British Commonwealth Games and since 1978 as the Commonwealth Games. The festival of sports has undergone name changes that reflects the growing political maturity of fellow member countries.
British Empire Games:
1930: Hamilton, Ontario, 1934: London, 1938: Sydney and 1950: Auckland
British Empire and Commonwealth Games:
1954: Vancouver, 1958: Cardiff, 1962: Perth 1966: Kingston
1970: Edinburgh and 1974: Christchurch
Commonwealth Games:
1978: Edmonton, 1982: Brisbane, 1986: Edinburgh, 1990: Auckland, 1994: Victoria, 1998: Kuala Lumpur, 2002: Manchester, 2006: Melbourne and 2010: New Delhi
These name changes reflected the transformation of the British Empire, since nearly all colonies had become independent nations by the 1960s.
The Commonwealth Games, like the Olympic Games have suffered from the effects of world politics. Black African Commonwealth countries have boycotted the games several occasions in protest against other Commonwealth countries having sporting links with South Africa. Between 1930 and 1958, white South Africans won 190 medals (72 gold, 60 silver and 58 bronzes) in the British Empire and Commonwealth Games. The games have suffered from boycotts, especially that of 1986, but these have never been on the scale of those that have affected the Olympics.
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