What We Have Learnt from the Commenwealth Games

The Commonwealth Games a revolutionary custom of unified nations undergoing fierce rivalries in a demonstration of unity or a haunting reminder of a dark era in the world.The competition held once every four years is certainly not one without controversy.

Now the competition is important as it does have potential to lead more kids into sports. According to Statista the amount of children participating in athletics seemed to be rising up until the pandemic started where it then drastically decreased.

This is why events such as the Commonwealth Games can be so important. Children often imitate and are inspired by what they see. These events can be a new source of role models for impressionable children, potentially guiding them to start competing and ultimately leading to healthier lives. 

The whole country came together to support England winning the the Women’s Euros 2022 competition which will lead to a whole generation being inspired and women’s football clubs are sure to skyrocket with applicants as a result, ( more on this in the link below) 

The Legacy of the Lionesses (we-are-family.com)

The Commonwealth Games could have the same effect if parents encourage their children to watch and interact with them. It can be a great tool to get children into sports.

The Commonwealth Games are also great examples of sportsmanship, diversity and culture. Expanding your child’s global knowledge while teaching them valuable life skills all while being entertained. What more could you possibly want!

However there is a controversy when discussing the Commonwealth games as it is not like these countries just volunteered to be a part of the Commonwealth. The British Empire subjugated all these countries through colonisation and slavery.

There has not really been any sort of apology or reparations to the victims of these atrocities. With many stolen artefacts and valuables of these colonies still being displayed in England to this very day. 

This beckons the question as to whether younger generations and children should support the Commonwealth games.

The Commonwealth Games is one of the most culturally diverse international multisport events in the world, with feats such as having more medals on offer for women than men and  in addition to this they seem to have a want to appeal to younger generations with an esports championship included as an exhibition event. 

The Commonwealth Games is also a competition that includes para-athlete events within the competition, doing so since 2002.

So it seems that although a very progressive competition it has quite literal skeletons in its closet. As younger generations seem to be more empathetic to social change it certainly is interesting to see how the competition fares in the future.