The Commonwealth Games might be the only sporting event for which the most-Googled terms are asking what they are and why they exist. One of the top stories on BBC Sport at the time of writing was simply headlined: “What are the Commonwealth Games?”
It’s a good question. They are an anachronistic idea, vaguely defined, thinly justified, a relic of our imperial past, like a mildly offensive heirloom quadrennially hauled down from the attic, modern sport’s unwelcome inheritance from another age.
So yes, the so-called Friendly Games are clearly a little unloved, given the battle to find a willing host. They were tossed aside by Melbourne before a stripped-back version was salvaged by Glasgow, a rescue Games.
They are not fully respected, given not all the stars will show up over the next 10 days. Keely Hodgkinson is prioritising other events. Canadian sensation Summer McIntosh is focused on the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships, preferring to compete against serious American rivals rather than a bunch of island nations.
The Games might even be hard to find, given they are behind a paywall on TNT Sports in the UK, with only highlights on Channel 5.
#commonwealth
It’s a good question. They are an anachronistic idea, vaguely defined, thinly justified, a relic of our imperial past, like a mildly offensive heirloom quadrennially hauled down from the attic, modern sport’s unwelcome inheritance from another age.
So yes, the so-called Friendly Games are clearly a little unloved, given the battle to find a willing host. They were tossed aside by Melbourne before a stripped-back version was salvaged by Glasgow, a rescue Games.
They are not fully respected, given not all the stars will show up over the next 10 days. Keely Hodgkinson is prioritising other events. Canadian sensation Summer McIntosh is focused on the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships, preferring to compete against serious American rivals rather than a bunch of island nations.
The Games might even be hard to find, given they are behind a paywall on TNT Sports in the UK, with only highlights on Channel 5.
#commonwealth
9 days ago
