Commonwealth Games
OLYMPIC CHAMPION FREEMAN WELCOMES CHANGE TO AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL ANTHEM
Olympic gold medallist Cathy Freeman has led welcomes for a change to the Australian national anthem which has been introduced today.
“What a way to start the year”, Freeman 400 metres champion at Sydney 2000, wrote in a social media message.
“A phone call from our Prime Minister to say that we are ‘One and Free!’
“Thank you!!!”
A stanza of the anthem has been altered from “young and free” to the words “one and free” in a move announced by Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison.
“While Australia as a modern nation may be relatively young, our country’s story is ancient, as are the stories of the many First Nations peoples whose stewardship we rightly acknowledge and respect,” said the Prime Minister.
“In the spirit of unity, it is only right that we ensure our national anthem reflects this truth and shared appreciation.”
Freeman had supported the Recognition in Anthem Project (RAP), an initiative with the same acronym as the Reconciliation Action Plans which were introduced to widen opportunities for indigenous groups and seen at the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games.
Freeman had famously flourished the Aboriginal flag on her lap of honour after 200m and 400m victories at the 1994 Commonwealth Games in Victoria, and did the same in 2000 after her Olympic gold in Sydney.
Ken Wyatt, Minister for Indigenous Australians, described the lyric change as “small in nature but significant in purpose”.
New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian insisted the lyrics had previously ignored Australia’s “proud First Nations culture”.
Although there are plans to add an additional verse, boxer and former rugby league star Anthony Mundine said that “one word change isn’t good enough” and called on the country to “scrap the song and start fresh” with a new national anthem.
Last month, the anthem was led by 17-year-old Olivia Fox, a member of the Wiradjuri people and a student from the Newtown High School of the Performing Arts, before a rugby union match between Australia and Argentina.
Fox sang in the indigenous Eora language, as well as English.
This followed the example of New Zealand and South Africa, where anthems are also performed in indigenous languages.
In 1988 at the Calgary Winter Olympics, Canadian anthem O Canada was sung by Daniel Tlen in Southern Tutchone, the language of a First Nation language spoken in Yukon communities.
Although written in 1878 by Scottish-born composer Peter Dodds McCormick, Advance Australia Fair was not officially adopted as the Australian national anthem until 1984.
In 1956, when Australia hosted the Olympics for the first time, God Save the Queen was played in Melbourne.
At the Sydney Olympics, Advance Australia Fair was played in what the official Sydney 2000 report described as “a distinctive rendition”.
The quartet “Human Nature” sang the first verse acapella before soloist Julie Anthony, accompanied by the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, carried on the melody to great applause.
The indigenous flag was also flown on Sydney’s municipal buildings throughout the 2000 Olympics.
Tokyo 2020 later this year will likely hear the new lyrics sung at an Olympic event for the first time.
-insidethegames
For the second time, Nigeria has announced a bid to host the Commonwealth Games, this time, the 2030 edition.
The country had earlier in 2007 bid for the 2014 Games which could have marked the 100th anniversary of the country following the amalgamation of the Northern and Southern Protectorates with the Lagos Colony to form Nigeria.
That bid was spearheaded by General Yakubu Gowon, former Head of State and a respected person in the Commonwealth of Nations.
The project which was constructed as an “African Bid” failed following the award to Glasgow.
Another bid has reopened as the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) announced it had met the deadline to express interest in hosting the 2030 Commonwealth Games in Abuja.
The new bid has not secured the necessary government backing. An NOC press release stated that Nigeria can only commence a formal bid if the Federal Government backs the project.
The NOC noted that Nigeria’s bid for the 2030 Commonwealth Games in Abuja will present a unique opportunity to showcase its development, enhance its global standing, and invigorate its sports culture.
“A bid process would enhance an investment in sports infrastructure as bidding for the Games can catalyse investments in sports infrastructure and facilities across the country, particularly in Abuja, which can revitalise the local sports economy and improve national sports facilities for future generations,” the statement read.
But with the spate of countries with stronger economies withdrawing from the hosting of the Commonwealth, it is doubtful if the Nigeria bid will achieve success.
Most of the sporting facilities are in ruins leading to the country being confined only to the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo as the only arena considered good enough to host international matches of both CAF and FIFA.
The cost of hosting is also another issue leading to some countries stepping down after a successful bid. Victoria in Australia was awarded the 2026 Games but announced withdrawal in July 2023 owing to the high cost of hosting a 12-day multidiscipline sports fiesta. Glasgow which stepped in as a replacement announced a smaller scale of hosting.
South African city of Durban initially won the bid to host the 2022 Games when the rights were awarded in 2015. It withdrew and the Games were rescheduled for Birmingham.
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Glasgow was confirmed as host of the 2026 Commonwealth Games on Tuesday. The Scottish city stepped in after the Australian state of Victoria withdrew due to cost concerns. Organisers are set to deliver a pared-down edition of the multi-sport event.
Among the sports to be axed from the programme are badminton, cricket, hockey and rugby sevens.
The Games, which will run from July 23 to Aug. 2 in 2026, will feature 10 sports across four venues – athletics, swimming, artistic gymnastics, track cycling, netball, weightlifting, boxing, judo, bowls and 3×3 basketball.
It will also feature para sports including athletics, swimming, track cycling and wheelchair basketball.
“Glasgow 2026 will have all the drama, passion and joy that we know the Commonwealth Games delivers even if it is to be lighter and leaner than some previous editions,” Commonwealth Games Scotland chief executive Jon Doig said.
“It will be more accessible, delivered on a smaller footprint which brings our fans closer to the sporting action.”
Glasgow also hosted the event in 2014 and Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) CEO Katie Sadleir said the legacy of that edition would provide sporting, transport and accommodation infrastructure, as well as world-class venues and expertise.
The Games were originally slated for Victoria but the state withdrew as host in 2023 due to rising costs. Malaysia briefly considered an offer to stage the event but rejected it in March citing time constraints as well as costs and funding issues.
Glasgow stepped in as a back-up venue in April and the Scottish government backed the bid to host a scaled-down version, with the CGF offering 100 million pounds ($130 million) in supporting funds.
Commonwealth Games Australia has also committed to a multimillion pound investment to help the Glasgow bid.
Five of the previous six editions of the Games were held in Australia or Britain and questions continue to swirl about their relevance, with top athletes often electing to skip them.
Canada’s Alberta province last year withdrew its support for a bid for the 2030 Games and the CGF has yet to find a host for the centenary edition of the event.
-Reuters
Commonwealth Games
Scotland which beat Nigeria for 2014 Games may step in for ‘stepped-down’ 2026 Commonwealth Games
Scotland’s Commonwealth Games body has developed a “cost-effective” way to host the troubled 2026 event in Glasgow amid continued uncertainty over its long-term future. Glasgow beat Abuja, Nigeria for the 2014 Games which Nigeria had intended to use to mark the 100th anniversary of the creation of the nation state.
Nigeria became a geographical entity 0n 1 January 1914 when the northern part and Southern part as well as the Lagos Colony were amalgamated.
The 2014 Games were awarded to Scotland which is now likely to use the same facilities for the troubled 2026 edition following the withdrawal of Australian state of Victoria as hosts.
Glasgow commissioned a feasibility study in December. Estimates suggest Scotland could run the event for between £130m and £150m – with the potential to bring more than £100m into the economy.
Existing sports facilities like the Emirates Arena would be used again instead of new builds, and competitors would be housed in local hotels rather than an athletes’ village.
The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) has said it will provide £100m for the chosen host nation, with the remaining budget funded by ticket sales and broadcasting rights.
The usual programme, however, would need to be cut down to between 10 and 13 events.
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