Commonwealth Games Federation
PredecessorBritish Commonwealth Games Federation
Formation1932 (1932)
as British Empire Games Federation
TypeSports federation
HeadquartersLondon, England
Membership
72 member associations[1]
Official language
English[2]
President
Dame Louise Martin[3]
Vice Presidents
Canada Bruce Robertson[4]
Wales Chris Jenkins[5]
New Zealand Kereyn Smith[6]
Patron
King Charles III[7]
Vice-Patron
The Duke of Edinburgh[8]
Websitecommonwealthsport.com
Values: Humanity • Equality • Destiny
Flag of the Commonwealth Games Federation, 2022 Commonwealth Games, Birmingham

The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF), currently known as Commonwealth Sport, is the international organisation responsible for the direction and control of the Commonwealth Games and Commonwealth Youth Games, and is the governing body of the Commonwealth Games Associations (CGA). The headquarters of CGF are located in London, England.[9]

History

Due to the success of the first 1930 British Empire Games in Hamilton, Canada, a meeting of representatives from Great Britain, its dominions, colonies and territories decided that the games, similar to the Olympic Games should be held every four years, and that an authoritative organisation should be formed. Following the 1932 Summer Olympics, it was decided to form the "British Empire Games Federation" who would be responsible for the organising of the games. The name of the federation was changed in 1952 to the "British Empire and Commonwealth Games Federation", and again in Jamaica in 1966 to the "British Commonwealth Games Federation", until eventually being changed again in Christchurch, New Zealand in 1974 to the "Commonwealth Games Federation".[10]

The youth version of the Commonwealth Games was launched in August 2000, which is known as the Commonwealth Youth Games. The inaugural edition of the Commonwealth Youth Games was first held in Edinburgh, Scotland.

CGF Executive Board

The following people are in the CGF executive board:[11]

DesignationNameCountry
Vice-PatronPrince Edward United Kingdom
PresidentDame Louise Martin Scotland
Vice-PresidentsMr. Bruce Robertson Canada
Mr. Chris Jenkins Wales
Ms. Kereyn Smith New Zealand
Regional Vice-Presidents AfricaMrs. Miriam Moyo Zambia
AmericasMs. Judy Simons Bermuda
AsiaMr. Chris Chan Singapore
CaribbeanMrs. Fortuna Belrose Saint Lucia
EuropeMr. Harry Murphy Gibraltar
OceaniaMr. Hugh Graham Cook Islands
Legal AdvisorMs. Sandra Osborne Barbados
Athlete RepresentativeMr. Brendan Williams Dominica
Audit & Risk Committee Chair Ms. Mary Hardy  England
Medical Advisor Dr. Peter Harcourt  Australia

The following people are the Honorary members of the CGF executive board:

Designation Name Country
Honorary Life Presidents Hon. Michael Fennell, OJ, CD  Jamaica
Sir Peter Heatly, CBE DL  Scotland
HRH Tunku Imran  Malaysia
Honorary Life Vice-Presidents Alexander B. Chapman, HBM  Trinidad and Tobago
Sharad Rao  Kenya
A de O. Sales, CBE JP  Hong Kong
Sir Austin Sealy, SCM  Barbados
Dr. Manikavasagam Jegathesan  Malaysia
Gideon Sam  South Africa

Organisation

CGF General Assembly

The General Assembly is the ultimate governance and authority in the CGF with powers to vote on decisions, including on which cities and Commonwealth Games Association's will host the Commonwealth Games. It consists of 3 or more representatives of a Commonwealth Games Association of each member countries and territories, the Vice-Patron, Life Vice-Presidents and the members of the Executive Board.

Sessions of the General Assembly are chaired by the CGF President, with each CGA and the President having one vote. However the Vice-Patron, Life Vice-Presidents, the Executive Board, representatives of an Organising Committee (OC) of a Commonwealth Games and observers invited by the President may deliberate but do not have voting powers at the General Assembly.[12]

Honours

As well as awarding medals to athletes, the Federation may award membership of the Order of Merit (Commonwealth Games Federation) for distinguished services rendered to the Commonwealth Games movement, including the games themselves, to the federation and to a Commonwealth Games Association. The honour is awarded on the recommendation of the Executive Board at the General Assembly.

On recommendation of the Executive Board, at General Assembly the federation may also elect Life Vice-Presidents, providing there are no more than six Life Vice-Presidents at a time as an award for services to the CGF. Former Chairmen and presidents automatically become a Life Vice-President.[13]

Leadership

The President of the Commonwealth Games Federation is responsible for chairing the Executive Board and the General Assembly. A candidate is elected to the position by the General Assembly the year following the Commonwealth Games. Other duties include inviting the Head of the Commonwealth for the opening and closing declaration of the games and overseeing the preparations for upcoming events.

Previously before the XVI Commonwealth Games in 1998, the President was a ceremonial role, taking on the duties of the Vice-Patron. The late Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh served as the president between 1955 and 1990.[14][15] The chairman was elected by the General Assembly as head of the Commonwealth Games Federation.[16]

No. Name Origin Took office Left office Games
1 Sir James Leigh-Wood, KBE, CB, CMG  England 1930 1938
2 Arthur Porritt, Baron Porritt, Bt., KCMG CBE  New Zealand 1950 1966
3 Sir Alexander Ross  New Zealand 1968 1982
4 Peter Heatly, CBE, DL  Scotland 1982 1990
5 Arnaldo de Oliveira Sales GBM, OBE, JP  Hong Kong 1994 1997
6 Michael Fennell, OJ, CD  Jamaica 1997 2010
7 Prince Tunku Imran of Negeri Sembilan  Malaysia 2010 2014
8 Dame Louise Martin, DBE  Scotland 2014 2023
9 Chris Jenkins  Wales 2023 Present

See also

References

  1. ↑ "The Commonwealth Games Federation – About us". thecgf.com.
  2. ↑ "Byelaw 6 Official Language" (PDF). Constitutional Documents of the Commonwealth Games Federation. CGF. p. 33. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 October 2022. Retrieved 30 January 2020.
  3. ↑ "The Commonwealth Games Federation | Commonwealth Games Federation". thecgf.com. Retrieved 29 January 2020.
  4. ↑ "CGF Executive Board | Commonwealth Games Federation". thecgf.com. Archived from the original on 4 November 2021. Retrieved 29 January 2020.
  5. ↑ "CGF Executive Board | Commonwealth Games Federation". thecgf.com. Archived from the original on 4 November 2021. Retrieved 29 January 2020.
  6. ↑ "CGF Executive Board | Commonwealth Games Federation". thecgf.com. Archived from the original on 4 November 2021. Retrieved 29 January 2020.
  7. ↑ "The Commonwealth Games Federation | Commonwealth Games Federation". thecgf.com. Retrieved 29 January 2020.
  8. ↑ "The Commonwealth Games Federation | Commonwealth Games Federation". thecgf.com. Retrieved 29 January 2020.
  9. ↑ "The Commonwealth Games Federation". Commonwealth Sport. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
  10. ↑ "Commonwealth Games Federation – The Story of The Commonwealth Games". thecgf.com. Archived from the original on 16 April 2017. Retrieved 15 April 2017.
  11. ↑ "Commonwealth Games Federation Executive Board". Commonwealth Sport. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
  12. ↑ "ORGANISATION OF GENERAL ASSEMBLY MEETINGS" (PDF). Constitutional Documents of the Commonwealth Games Federation. CGF. pp. 14–22. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 October 2022. Retrieved 30 January 2020.
  13. ↑ "Patron, Vice Patron, Honorary Life Presidents, Honorary Life Vice Presidents, Honorary Life Members and Order of Merit" (PDF). Constitutional Documents of the Commonwealth Games Federation. CGF. p. 12. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 October 2022. Retrieved 30 January 2020.
  14. ↑ Barker, Philip. "The Queen and the Commonwealth Games". CGF. Archived from the original on 1 February 2023. Retrieved 31 January 2023.
  15. ↑ "Sport". The Royal Family. Retrieved 31 January 2023.
  16. ↑ "Commonwealth Games Federation – Heads". thecgf.com. Archived from the original on 16 April 2017. Retrieved 15 April 2017.
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