Calling Time on the Commonwealth Games? Sporting Event’s Demise May Mirror Organisation’s Decline

Victoria’s withdrawal from hosting the 2026 Commonwealth Games has thrown the future of the event into serious doubt. The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) had been struggling to find a host until the Australian state volunteered in April 2022. However, the offer was not unconditional and skyrocketing costs and state budgetary issues have now made it unfeasible. The likelihood of another host stepping in at this stage seems slim.

It was in August 1930 that the inaugural Games were held, under the auspices of the British Empire Games. 11 ‘nations’ participated in Hamilton, Ontario, including Newfoundland and British Guiana. The 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, by contrast, saw over 5,000 athletes from 72 nations participate in 280 events.

At the 1930 Games in Hamilton. Source: Toronto Star

The only cancellations in the history of the Games were during World War Two. Montreal had been due to host in 1942 and no host was selected for 1946. Auckland, New Zealand would be the venue for the 1950 British Empire Games, the final time it went by this moniker. The British Empire & Commonwealth Games would hold sway until Edinburgh in 1970, when Empire was finally dropped from the title. The shortened Commonwealth Games only came into being at Edmonton in 1978.

Whilst there are 56 member states of the Commonwealth of Nations, question marks loom large over the voluntary organisation’s future relevance. “Working together for prosperity, democracy and peace” is undoubtedly a laudable mantra, yet in comparison to global and regional political, economic and military blocs, it is an organisation that lacks teeth. Periodic dialogue and gestures of friendship predominate. The Commonwealth’s association with colonialism, meanwhile, continues to cast a dark cloud, created as it was during the 1926 Imperial Conference by the Balfour Declaration.

At the Commonwealth Prime Ministers’ Conference in 1944. From left, Mackenzie King (Canada), Jan Smuts (South Africa), Winston Churchill (Great Britain), Peter Fraser (New Zealand) and John Curtin (Australia). Source: Wikimedia Commons

The British monarch remains the symbolic head of the Commonwealth. Yet, in the wake of Queen Elizabeth II’s death and Charles III’s ascent to the throne, anti-royalist sentiment has increased. For many Commonwealth members, their association with the British monarchy is an irrelevance and an unpalatable reminder of their downtrodden past. Several member states have become republics in recent years, with others destined to follow in the coming decade.

Whereas once members seemed to reluctantly accept the paternalistic nature of the Commonwealth as a means for economic progression in a post-colonial world, now there are more attractive options. Investment from China, closer ties with the USA, partnerships with multinational companies. British guidance, originally barely disguised as continuing overlordship, no longer appeals.

Jamaica is one nation looking to cut ties with the British monarchy, still smarting from centuries of slavery. Source: Foreign Policy

There was certainly great fanfare around the 2022 Games in Birmingham. But in reality, the competition in many events is poor by international standards. Without athletes from the likes of China, the USA and other major sporting nations present, standards rarely hit elite heights. Some top athletes have skipped the Games in the past, the legendary Usain Bolt was even scathing of it. With Olympics every four years, World Championships more regularly in most sports, along with an array of other prestigious events such as the Diamond League, the Commonwealth Games is a low priority for many. There are also continental championships that give those from so-called ‘lesser’ sporting nations an opportunity to represent their country on the international stage.

The CGF will hope that it can resurrect the 2026 Games swiftly, otherwise the event may become a precursor to a more substantial demise. That of the Commonwealth itself. The latter can only be saved by making the organisation an effective representative for its members in an ever-changing world, whilst distancing itself from its colonial origins and the past missteps of its royal patrons.

120 yard hurdles at the 1950 Games in Auckland. The all white field is a sign of the times. Source: The Times

The Allure of the Titanic: Dominating Headlines Over a Century After its Infamous Design

The historical allure of RMS Titanic shows no sign of dimming. The sinking of the ‘unsinkable’ liner in April 1912 has spawned countless books, television series and movies, a relentless stream of documentaries and commentaries. It is a compelling tale of 20^th century innovation and overreach. Over a century later, few are ignorant of the ship’s name.

The sinking of the Titanic dominated headlines around the world. Source: Journalism History Journal

So it was with great fanfare that the wreck of the Titanic was discovered in September 1985. Over 3,700m beneath the surface in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, this was no mean feat. Subsequent expeditions to photograph and survey the wreck have been voraciously consumed by science, media and public alike.

The almost hysterical levels of attention that surround the Titanic legend have been exacerbated in recent days. A mini-submarine, Titan, has disappeared whilst descending to the wreck, part of an uber-expensive jaunt carrying four wealthy tourists and an expedition leader. Since contact with the sub was lost on Sunday, a frantic search has been carried out by Coastguard and Naval units, simultaneously unleashing a media frenzy.

A huge search party has been launched for Titan, including another mini-sub. Source: Daily Express US

On the surface, it is hard to understand the relentlessness with which the media has followed the story. Most major outlets have live updates on their websites, whilst devoting considerable column space to the expedition and its possible demise. With detached callousness they have reported the countdown to oxygen depletion for the crew, regardless of the strain such coverage must put on their loved ones.

But perhaps this is a unique reaction to an unfolding disaster inextricably linked with the greatest disaster of all time? The fascination with which the search is being followed and analysed is more reminiscent of the great exploratory attempts that captured the imagination of the public during the 19^th and early 20^th centuries.

David Livingstone’s ‘disappearance’ and subsequent ‘discovery’ by Henry Morton Stanley springs to the mind, the latter’s quest funded by the New York Herald in 1869. Or the Antarctic expeditions of Robert Falcon Scott, Ernest Shackleton and their brethren. There was almost a sense of macabre desire amongst some people that these missions should fail, that we could revel in a shared loss.

The great age of polar exploration thrilled the reading public. Source: Dundee Heritage Trust

Of course, in an era of instant communication the drama of the event is magnetised. No waiting a couple of days for the telegraph transmission, or the newspaper report. The mentality may be familiar but the circumstances are not. The source of the River Nile was ultimately found, as too was the wreck of the Titanic, however improbable both events may have felt to contemporaries.

Once discovered, however, some things are best left to rest in peace. Money may have bought a select few privileged access to unfathomable experiences, yet there are limits to what is achievable. The famed explorers of the Victorian era knew that; those aboard the Titanic probably not.

What is certain is that the White Star Line’s flagship will continue to dominate headlines from beyond its watery grave. In another one hundred years’ time schoolchildren will learn of the ambition of its builders, the negligence of its operators and the brave resistance of its passengers. Coupled with that will be tales of what happened after the Titanic’s wreck was discovered, of all the expeditions, both successes and failures. History casts a long shadow indeed.

The Titanic in its final resting place. Source: Today