'The city, with its population of 1.2 million people, is the most youthful and ethnically diverse in Europe. Most notably when the Games returned for a second time to Edinburgh, after a period of 16 years, in 1986.Įngland's Steve Cram wins the 800m at the 1986 Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh, which were severely affected by a political boycott involving many African nations ©Getty ImagesĪ proposed rugby union tour of New Zealand by South Africa prompted 31 countries, largely from Africa and the Caribbean, to boycott the Edinburgh Games in protest against the South Africans’ apartheid policy - even though South Africa had not been present in the Games in 1958 (and would not be welcomed back until 1994).īut 92 years on the Games coming to a close in Birmingham today have embodied 'friendly' unfailingly.Īs the ACU post goes on to say: 'Convening the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham has symbolism in terms of place and the politics of race. He wanted the Empire Games to be about 'sport for sport’s sake, devoid of petty jealousies and sectional prejudices,' adding: 'The event will be designed on an Olympic model, but these Games will be very different…'Ĭertainly Robinson’s proposed 'merriment' has been conspicuously absent at some moments in the Games history.

The Toronto Star wrote of 'serious trouble brewing between the Canadian and US teams and between the Canadian representatives and the International Olympic Committee.'Īt one point Robinson told one IOC member: 'We know the Canadians are getting the run-around here and we don’t like it!' The Toronto Star reported that meetings to discuss the Empire Games were held in Amsterdam 'as a direct result of the dominance, real or attempted, by Germany and the United States at the Olympic meet … Robinson finally boiled over and, after consultation with other Canadian officials, met representatives of the other British teams.'Ĭanada lodged an official complaint at the Olympics, citing a number of incidents including the lack of a national flag when Percy Williams received his 100 metres gold medal, the fact that American athletes were allowed to train on the track but Canadian athletes were not, a disputed judges’ decision in the women’s 100m, where Canada felt their sprinter had been wrongly denied victory in favour of an American, and a direct insult to a Canadian team official delivered by Avery Brundage, then the most influential American in the Olympic Movement. The Games notion had emerged in reaction to a distinct lack of friendliness experienced by Robinson during his duties as manager of the Canadian athletics team at the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics. The tone of that ascription was set by Robinson’s guiding remark about a sporting gathering: 'The Games should be merrier and less stern and will substitute the stimulus of novel adventure for the pressure of international rivalry.' South African athletes train in Paddington for the 1934 British Empire Games in London - already given the Friendly Games monicker after being set in motion four years earlier in Hamilton ©Getty Images It is not clear who first ascribed this the 'friendly' characteristic to the enterprise set in motion by the vision and dynamism of a Canadian sports journalist, Melville Marks “Bobby” Robinson, who was the man who pushed and prodded the Vancouver governing authorities to stage the first Games of 1930. 'After all, they emerged from an empire marked by the subjugation of, and violence towards, millions of people across the world, underpinned by white supremacy and racism….'

As the name changes have underlined, the perception of Empire has changed to the point where it is now not mentioned - indeed, in recent years, Britain has been called upon to apologise for it by nations profoundly affected by it.Ī recent posting on The Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU) site acu.au.uk, pointed out: 'It could be said that the ‘Friendly Games’ moniker is a misnomer for the Commonwealth Games. The ties of Empire, still felt so fiercely by many back in 1930, have cooled and transmuted.

It has been sensibly pointed out that there are - issues - involved in describing what began as the British Empire Games and evolved into the Commonwealth Games as 'The Friendly Games.'

Social empires game on facebook