THE history of the Commonwealth Games is a “significant issue” to “wrestle” with ahead of Scotland hosting the revamped event in 2026, John Swinney has said.
Glasgow has stepped in to host the next edition of the Games after the Australian state of Victoria pulled out, but it will be a significantly scaled-back version with only 10 sports featuring across four venues.
Some have questioned Scotland stepping in to host the event when it has its roots in the British Empire.
It involves countries from the Commonwealth of Nations which mostly consists of territories of the former British Empire and was called the British Empire Games from 1930 to 1950. The word “British” was only removed from the title of the event in 1978.
Asked about whether Glasgow hosting the Games for the second time in 12 years was a chance to reflect on the past, Swinney said the history of the event was a “significant issue” the UK and Scotland needed to “face up” to.
However, Swinney argued the Commonwealth was a positive way of bringing countries together at a time of huge conflict across the world.
He told reporters in Glasgow: “For me the Commonwealth is actually valuable in bringing countries together.
“Now, there will be significant issues to wrestle with about the past, and about how countries feel about the role of the empire, the experience of empire, and I think the UK has got to face up to that and Scotland has got to face up to that because we have been very much part of that.”
The idea for a “Pan Britannic Festival” of sports was first promoted by John Astley Cooper in 1891, a man who would later highlight the supposed power of sport in controlling colonised peoples, using as an example “the wonderful moral and disciplinary effect cricket has on the black races entrusted to our charge”.
In 1911, the first Festival of Empire – including the Inter-Empire Championships – was held in London to celebrate the coronation of King George V. After the First World War, the inaugural British Empire Games was held in Canada and continued under this title as a four-yearly event until 1950, when it was changed to the British Empire and Commonwealth Games until 1970.
At this point it became the British Commonwealth Games and, finally, the Commonwealth Games as of 1978.
Scottish Secretary Ian Murray suggested the Commonwealth Games should be used as an “education and history” piece as well as being about sport, but did not expand how he’d like to see that play out.
Asked whether he was concerned about helping the Commonwealth Games to continue given its history, he told The National: “I think it’s important to use the Commonwealth Games as an education and history piece as well.
“There is that cultural side to it and that’s really important but the primary aim of getting Glasgow 2026 up and running was to make sure we could have the elite sporting event and this Commonwealth Games here in Glasgow and continue with it.”
Pressed if he would then support more education around the Games’ history, he said: “It’s a question for the Commonwealth Games organising committee as to what they wish to do.
“We’ve got some concerns from some countries about the number of events taking place but hopefully it’s going to be a great Games for Glasgow. It’s fantastic Scotland had stepped in to save the Games.”
