1986 Commonwealth Games

Multi-sport event in Edinburgh, Scotland May 2013 January 2020 XIII Commonwealth Games 1986 Commonwealth Games logo.svg 250 Edinburgh, Scotland 27 1,660 161 events in 10 sports 24 July 1986 2 August 1986 Elizabeth II Allan Wells Meadowbank Stadium XII XIV The 1986 Commonwealth Games were held in Edinburgh, Scotland, between 24 July and 2 August 1986. This was the second Commonwealth Games to be held in Edinburgh. Thirty two of the eligible fifty nine countries (largely African, Asian and Caribbean states) boycotted the event because of the Thatcher government's policy of keeping Britain's sporting links with apartheid South Africa. The Games were commemorated on the UK's first-ever £2 circulating coin, which showed a Scottish thistle upon the St. Andrew's saltire design on the reverse side of the coin. Organisation Unlike the 1970 Games in Edinburgh, which were popular and successful, the 1986 Games are ill-famed for the wide political boycott connected with them and the resulting financial mismanagement.https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2014/jul/22/commonwealth-games-1986-robert-maxwell The forgotten story of … Robert Maxwell's 1986 Commonwealth Games The Guardian 22 July 2014 Brian Oliver https://web.archive.org/web/20170407091522/https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2014/jul/22/commonwealth-games-1986-robert-maxwell 7 April 2017 live Controversies In addition to the boycott, further controversy arose when it was revealed that through this much-reduced participation and the resultant decline in anticipated broadcasting and sponsorship revenues, the Organising Committee was facing a big financial black hole. The boycott ended any prospect of securing emergency government assistance. Businessman Robert Maxwell stepped in to offer funding, taking over as chairman; but although he promised to invest £2m, his contribution was just £250,000. On a budget of £14m, the Games opened with a deficit of £3m, which later grew to £4.3m, and instead of putting enough money into the event to save it, the new chairman of the Games asked creditors to forgo half the payment due to them to keep the event out of liquidation. The debt was finally paid off in 1989, with the city of Edinburgh losing approximately £500,000.http://news.scotsman.com/topics.cfm?tid=418&id=715212007 Glasgow makes final call for 2014 Games - Athletics - Scotsman.com News.scotsman.com 9 May 2007 9 August 2012 https://web.archive.org/web/20070517171818/http://news.scotsman.com/topics.cfm?tid=418&id=715212007 17 May 2007 live Several athletes were excluded because they breached the amateurism rules, most notably lawn bowlers Phil Skoglund from New Zealand and Willie Wood from Scotland, both of whom have competed in subsequent Games. Participating teams Due to the boycott only 27 teams from across the Commonwealth were represented at the 1986 Games. thumb|400px|centre|Participating Commonwealth countries and Territories Participating Commonwealth countries and territories30em Australia BermudaNote Botswana Canada Cayman Islands old Cook Islands England Falkland Islands 1948 Fiji Gibraltar Guernsey 23px Hong Kong Isle of Man Jersey Lesotho 1966 Malawi Maldives Malta New Zealand at the 1986 Commonwealth Games Norfolk Island Northern Ireland Scotland (host) Singapore Swaziland Vanuatu Wales Western Samoa Note Bermuda withdrew from the games to join the boycott after the opening day of competition.Fraser, Graham (25 April 2014). Glasgow 2014: The Bermuda boycott of 1986 that still hurts . BBC Sport. Retrieved on 19 August 2015.Debuting Commonwealth countries and territories 30em Norfolk Island Maldives Boycott thumb|300px|1986 Commonwealth Games boycotting countries dark red Thirty two of the eligible fifty nine countries (largely African, Asian and Caribbean states) boycotted the event because of the Thatcher government's policy of keeping Britain's sporting links with apartheid South Africa in preference to participating in the general sporting boycott of that country and the American-led boycott of the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow in protest of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. Consequently, Edinburgh 1986 witnessed the lowest turnout since Auckland 1950.http://www.insidethegames.biz/commonwealth-games/2014/16048-scottish-independence-referendum-will-increase-interest-in-glasgow-2014-it-is-claimed Scottish independence referendum will increase interest in Glasgow 2014, it is claimed | Glasgow 2014 insidethegames.biz 29 February 2012 9 August 2012 https://web.archive.org/web/20120811024929/http://insidethegames.biz/commonwealth-games/2014/16048-scottish-independence-referendum-will-increase-interest-in-glasgow-2014-it-is-claimed 11 August 2012 live Bermuda was a particularly late withdrawal, as its athletes had appeared in the opening ceremony and in the opening day of competition before the Bermuda Olympic Association decided to formally withdraw.Fraser, Graham (25 April 2014). Glasgow 2014: The Bermuda boycott of 1986 that still hurts . BBC Sport. Retrieved on 2 November 2014. Commonwealth countries and territories that boycotted the Games30em Antigua and Barbudahttps://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1986-07-20-mn-17233-story.html 8 More Nations Join Boycott of Commonwealth Games; Total Now 23 Los Angeles Times 20 February 2017 https://web.archive.org/web/20170221010750/http://articles.latimes.com/1986-07-20/news/mn-17233_1_commonwealth-games 21 February 2017 live Barbados Bahamas Bangladesh Bermuda Belize Cyprus Dominica Gambia Ghana Guyana Grenada India Jamaica Kenya Mauritius Malaysia Nigeria Pakistan Papua New Guinea St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Vincent and the Grenadines Solomon Islands Sierra Leone Sri Lanka Tanzania Trinidad and Tobago Turks and Caicos Islands Uganda Zambia Zimbabwe Opening ceremony alt=Banner celebrating the University of Edinburgh Quartercentenary in 1986 that had been hanged on the wall of the Sports Hall during the 1986 Commonwealth Games|thumb|231x231px|Banner celebrating the University of Edinburgh Quartercentenary in 1986 The theme of the opening ceremony celebrated the "Spirit of Youth" and included 6500 Scottish schoolchildren taking part in a series of large Mass Games-style Gymnastics routines. The theme song "Spirit of Youth" was written by Gerard Kenny. The ceremony began on the esplanade of Edinburgh Castle from which hundreds of schoolchildren ran down the Royal Mile, through Holyrood Park to Meadowbank Stadium.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpApjBcQONw Power From Within – Commonwealth Games 1986 Opening Ceremony – YouTube youtube.com 28 July 2014 https://web.archive.org/web/20160730035629/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpApjBcQONw 30 July 2016 live Venues Balgreen, (Bowls)Bell Daniel Encyclopedia of international games 2003 McFarland & Co Jefferson, NC 0-7864-1026-4 122 Barry Buddon (Shooting)Barry Buddon Training Centre from The Gazetteer for Scotland https://www.scottish-places.info/features/featurefirst10503.html#:~:text=The%20shooting%20events%20for%20both,2014%2C%20Jen%20McIntosh%20(b. www.scottish-places.info 22 October 2023 en-gbhttps://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000563/19860723/208/0022 Shooting fans - aim for Barry Buddon! Dundee Evening Telegraph 23 July 1986 22 British Newspaper Archive subscription 16 February 2026 Ingliston Showground Pavilion (also called the Exhibition Hall) (Boxing)https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0005487/19860531/115/0013 Book your place at the Games Sporting Post 31 May 1986 13 British Newspaper Archive subscription 31 January 2026https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000740/19860303/104/0005 Ingliston big sell takes off Edinburgh Evening News 3 March 1986 5 British Newspaper Archive subscription 31 January 2026https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0002739/19860124/024/0024 Rotaract told of the Games West Lothian Courier 24 January 1986 24 British Newspaper Archive subscription 31 January 2026 Meadowbank Stadium (Badminton) Playhouse Theatre (Wrestling and weightlifting)Ducker Chris Colossus of Oz fills the stage https://www.newspapers.com/image/904364529/?terms=%22Commonwealth%22%20%22Corsie%22&match=1 22 October 2023 Evening Post 30 July 1986 en Royal Commonwealth Pool (Aquatics) Strathclyde Park, Glasgow (Rowing)https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000473/19860220/118/0012 Plans are well on course for rowing event where athlets will go for gold Motherwell Times 20 February 1986 12 British Newspaper Archive subscription 14 February 2026 Meadowbank Velodrome (Track cycling)https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000740/19860326/070/0005 High cost of hospitality Edinburgh Evening News 26 March 1986 5 British Newspaper Archive subscription 13 February 2026 Sports Aquatics Diving Swimming Synchronised swimming Athletics Badminton Boxing Cycling Judo (demonstration event) Lawn bowls Rowing Shooting Weightlifting Wrestling Medal table 160 170 right File:Commonwealth games medal, Scotland, 1986.jpg Commonwealth games medal, 1986 File:Commemorative medal Front side, Scotland, 1986.jpg Commemorative medal front side SCO flagCGF 1986 52 43 49 51 34 31 40 46 35 8 16 14 6 5 11 3 12 18 yes 2 4 9 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 2 HKG 1959 0 0 2 MAW 1964 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 See also 1970 Commonwealth Games, held in Edinburgh 2014 Commonwealth Games, held in Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, held in Glasgow References External links Commonwealth Games Official Site 1986 Commonwealth Games – Australian Commonwealth Games Association official website Video of the Opening Ceremony Brisbane Commonwealth GamesEdinburghXIII Commonwealth Games Auckland Sports 1980s Scotland Commonwealth Games Commonwealth Games Category:Commonwealth Games in Scotland Category:Commonwealth Games in the United Kingdom Category:1980s in Edinburgh Category:International sports competitions in Edinburgh Category:International sports boycotts Commonwealth Games Commonwealth Games