The 1970 Games was the first time HM Queen Elizabeth II attended in her role as Head of the Commonwealth. It was also the first Games where electronic photo-finish technology and metric units were used.
From the Archive: Forty years on from Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh
23 August 2010
Glasgow looks ahead to hosting event in four years, as Delhi makes final preparations for next month’s Games
Forty-two nations from around the Commonwealth sent over 1,700 participants to the Scottish capital to contend for medals in nine sports - from athletics to diving - at the ninth Commonwealth Games, which took place 40 years ago last month.
Australia finished overall winners, notching up 82 medals in total, beating England and Canada, which came second and third respectively. The Gambia, Malawi, St Vincent and the Grenadines and Tanzania also had cause for celebration, gaining their first medals at a Commonwealth Games.
The 1970 Games was the first time HM Queen Elizabeth II attended in her role as Head of the Commonwealth. It was also the first Games where electronic photo-finish technology and metric units were used.
Scotland finished fourth in the medals table. Standout successes for the home nation were the Stewart brothers Ian (who won the gold medal) and Peter (who came fourth) in the 5,000 metres and Lachie Stewart, no relation of the brothers, who triumphed over famed Australian runner Ron Clarke to take gold in the 10,000 metres.
Games watched by around 1.8 billion people
Since 1930, there have been 18 Commonwealth Games, which have grown from 11 countries sending 400 athletes to take part in 6 sports and 59 events to 71 countries sending 4,049 athletes to compete in 16 sports and 245 events. On the back of the Melbourne Games in 2006 - watched by around 1.8 billion people across the world - 13,500 new jobs were created.
Return to Scotland
The Commonwealth Games were again held in Edinburgh in 1986 but this event was scarred by the absence of 32 nations, which were protesting over apartheid in South Africa.
The Games will return to Scotland in 2014, when Glasgow will stage the sporting event.
Louise Martin, Chair of sportscotland, the agency responsible for the development of sport and physical recreation in Scotland, recently told Commonwealth News: “Hosting the 20th Commonwealth Games in Glasgow is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to raise our sights as a nation.”
New Delhi, India
But for now all eyes are firmly fixed on New Delhi, where some of the world’s top athletes will descend for the 2010 Commonwealth Games.
At the Delhi Games, which will be held from 3rd to 14th October, athletes will compete in 17 different sports, from lawn bowls to weightlifting.
During a visit to Delhi last week, Commonwealth Games Federation President Michael Fennell said he felt reassured by the solid progress made in preparing for next month’s event.
“All competition venues are complete for all practical purposes,” Mr Fennell said. “There is some site work, outside appearance, landscaping and cleaning to be done with great urgency but this will be completed very shortly. This is not strange or unique to Delhi. Once they are done and finishing touches are given, we are going to have world class venues here.”
You might explain the basis on which other countries outside rthe Commonwealth take part in the Games and why. I would find this useful. The above brief mention of India is worthless to me trying to put an RCS newsletter together. the Games website is similarly useless, has no facts, and seems designed for tourists, and not very well at that.
The Commonwealth Games apart from being a sporting spectacle should also be an opportunity for the citizens of the host country to know more about the Commonwealth Association - its aim, vision and work they do. This could be an occasion to reach out and create an audience with interest in the various works The Commonwealth is doing. The Games should not be conducted in isolation from the vision of The Commonwealth.
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