COMMONWEALTH GAMES

The Commonwealth Games are made up of countries from the former British Empire, known as the Commonwealth of Nations, with only Australia, Canada, England, New Zealand, Scotland and Wales having taken part in every games to date. Other countries in the Commonwealth Games include: Bangladesh, Barbados, Cameroon, Cyprus, Fiji, Ghana, India, Jamaica, Kenya, Malaysia, Nigeria, Northern Ireland, Pakistan, Singapore, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe and lots more Commonwealth countries.

Despite being made up of the Commonwealth of Nations, which includes 54 member states, the Commonwealth Games is currently made up of 72 countries and flags, as former dependant territories are allowed to compete under their own separate flags. For example, the UK sends four separate teams to the games - England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The Commonwealth Games are every four years, traditionally taking place in-between the Olympic four-year cycle. So the Commonwealth Games are always two years after the Olympics and so two years before the next Olympics.

Any athlete from the Commonwealth of Nations and other British Overseas Territories and colonies is eligible to compete in the Commonwealth Games, with most nations holding qualification trials to determine the team they will take to the games.

The Commonwealth Games feature lots of diverse sports, focussed largely on track and field athletics, but also sports like basketball, hockey, netball, track and road cycling, gymnastics, swimming, squash, weightlifting, cricket, badminton, table tennis and rugby sevens. The sports involved in the Commonwealth Games can change depending on the preferences of the host nation.

Inspired by the 'Inter-Empire Championships' in 1911, the Commonwealth Games were first held in Hamilton, Canada, then-known as the British Empire Games, back in 1930. The name today of Commonwealth Games was first introduced in 1948, 38 years after Canadian journalist, Melville Marks Robinson first created the games. He wanted to introduce a games with the "spirit of friendly competition" as British colonies were unable to join the Olympics at that time.