Reflections - Commonwealth Games too good to lose
Reflections - Commonwealth Games is rich in recent history
GBN's Scottish scribe, Donald C Stewart, reflects on the recent history of the Commonwealth Games, which is heading back to Glasgow again!
Remember the furore over boxing being excluded from The Olympics?
Plenty of people came out to support the continued inclusion of boxing as it was such an important platform for amateur sport and for amateur boxers who eventually became professionals. Of course, many of them manage the transfer into the professional code, but some don’t, their style doesn't always match the requirements of professionalism.
But what do the following have in common?
Pat McCormack, Frazer Clarke, Skye Nicholson, Anthony Fowler, Callum Johnson, Barry McGuigan, Stephen Smith, Jean Pascal, Josh Taylor, Anthony Ogogo, Paul Smith, Sandy Ryan, Joe Joyce, Lauren Price, Efe Ajagba, Nicola Adams, Savannah Marshall and Lauren Price?
Oh, and Brad Pitt…
They are all Commonwealth Games medallists – not the actor Brad Pitt obviously...
The vast majority of them are gold medallists. Some, like Josh Taylor and Lauren Price, have more than one medal of different colours.
Many you will spot as Olympians too. Some will be seen as World Champions because The Commonwealth Games has always been part of the springboard to the Olympics and to a future in the pro game. It is an amazing opportunity for boxers to reach a global audience.
Given the number of Commonwealth countries who compete every four years, it is a vital part of boxers' development. This year, what strikes me as Nigeria, Zambia, South Africa, and a host of African nations participate is how many times I have heard professional boxers mention these countries as places rich of opportunity for our British based boxers of African heritage. Well, a bit of Africa, for 11 days, is in central Glasgow!
It’s in Glasgow because Australia decided that they couldn't afford to host. Instead, Glasgow, the triumph of 2014 behind them, stepped in.
Nobody at any time that I am aware of suggested that boxing should not be included. Given the range of nations and numbers of boxers, I am not surprised. I have watched some guy from Gibraltar fight! Boxing has featured in every single edition of the Commonwealth Games since they were known as the British Empire Games back in the dim 1930s.
2014 in Glasgow was when women's boxing made its debut. Of course, having made its debut two years beforehand in the Olympics, it was hardly a huge leap in the dark for the Commonwealth Games.
The medals shall be decided for both men and women over the first weekend of August.
Home nations, Scotland, Wales, England and Northern Ireland can enter up to 14 boxers each – 7 women, 7 men apiece. That’s a huge number. We have already seen a few future stars and some unfortunate hopefuls including Aaron Cullen, who came up against the very durable and impressive Indian boxer, Singh Mandengbam, as well as Alan Perrie, who had his bout stopped because of a nosebleed. No, I'm not kidding, because of a nosebleed.
But it's also the opportunity for other boxers, from countries who would not normally, be as advanced as a quarter-final stage or in a semi-final, in an Olympics or World Championships. And their quality is pretty high. Listening to the first few days Commentators Richie Woodall (Gold -1990) and Dave Farrar alongside former Commonwealth Games medallist Delicious Orie (Gold - 2022) there have been very few dud fights.
Innovation this time round is instead of having a separate Para Commonwealth Games after the Commonwealth Games, both have been put on at exactly the same time. Perhaps it is due to less money available with a slimmed down Commonwealth Games, but this relaunched version really works. It is interesting to see equal media attention given to all of the events.
That parity means that we can tune in to the three-by-three basketball and wheelchairs after the swimming where you see heat after heat, final after final by categories and lengths rather than ability and disability a fortnight hence. Disabled athletes get the opportunity to share dressing rooms with more able-bodied athletes rather than, as usual, being distinctly differentiated from them.
Between the home nations having a larger presence and a lot of nations having the opportunity that they wouldn't normally get to go further and test themselves, this is a pinnacle of British and world sport which should not be forgotten. And as it stands, if you get a chance, HBO Max is covering the whole event, but Channel 5 have a free online summary on a daily basis.
There are already debates on its future but India in 2030 is next. Having spent a few days occasionally looking in, remembering how brilliant 2014 was but the cash for repeat was not available, what we have is slimmed down but equally as vital. Here’s hoping, in whatever format it is retained, that this vital part of the sporting calendar is retained.
