Commonwealth Games Federation

International organization

Commonwealth Games Federation

Predecessor| British Commonwealth Games Federation
Formation| 1932; 93 years ago (1932)
as British Empire Games Federation
Type| Sports federation
Headquarters| London, England
Membership| 72 member associations[1]

Official language

| English[2]

Interim President

|  Donald Rukare[3]

Vice Presidents

|  Sandra Osborne[4]
Hugh Graham[5]

Patron

| King Charles III[6]

Vice-Patron

| The Duke of Edinburgh[7]
Website| www.thecgf.com
Values: Humanity  • Equality  • Destiny
Commonwealth Games

Main topics

* Bids
* CGF
* CGAs
* Commonwealth of Nations
* Head of the Commonwealth
* Participating nations
* Commonwealth Day
* Inter-Empire Championships
* Queen's Baton Relay
* Medal table
* Records
* Mascots

Games

* Commonwealth Games
* Commonwealth Youth Games
* Commonwealth Esports Championships

Defunct games

* Commonwealth Paraplegic Games
* Commonwealth Winter Games

* v
* t
* e

Flag of the Commonwealth Games Federation, 2022 Commonwealth Games, Birmingham

The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF), currently known as Commonwealth Sport, is the international organisation responsible for the direction and control of the Commonwealth Games and Commonwealth Youth Games, and is the governing body of the Commonwealth Games Associations (CGA). The headquarters of CGF are located in London, England.[8]

## History

[edit]

Due to the success of the first 1930 British Empire Games in Hamilton, Canada, a meeting of representatives from Great Britain, its dominions, colonies and territories decided that the games, similar to the Olympic Games should be held every four years, and that an authoritative organisation should be formed. Following the 1932 Summer Olympics, it was decided to form the "British Empire Games Federation" who would be responsible for the organising of the games. The name of the federation was changed in 1952 to the "British Empire and Commonwealth Games Federation", and again in Jamaica in 1966 to the "British Commonwealth Games Federation", until eventually being changed again in Christchurch, New Zealand, in 1974 to the "Commonwealth Games Federation".[9]

The youth version of the Commonwealth Games was launched in August 2000, which is known as the Commonwealth Youth Games. The inaugural edition of the Commonwealth Youth Games was first held in Edinburgh, Scotland.

## CGF Executive Board

[edit]

The following people are in the CGF executive board:[10]

Designation | Name | Country

|
|

Vice-Patron | Prince Edward |  England
Interim President|President | Donald Rukare |  Uganda
Vice-Presidents | Sandra Osborne |  Barbados
Hugh Graham |  Cook Islands
Regional Vice-Presidents | Africa | Botsang Tshenyego |  Botswana
Americas | Claire Carver-Dias |  Canada
Asia | Chris Chan |  Singapore
Caribbean | Ephraim Penn |  British Virgin Islands
Europe | Helen Phillips |  Wales
Oceania | Craig Phillips |  Australia
Athlete Representative | Brendan Williams |  Dominica
Audit & Risk Committee Chair | Mary Hardy  |  England
Medical Advisor | Peter Harcourt  |  Australia
CEO | Katie Sadleir |  New Zealand

The following people are the Honorary members of the CGF executive board:

Designation  | Name  | Country

|
|

Honorary Life Presidents | Hon. Michael Fennell, OJ, CD |  Jamaica
HRH Tunku Imran |  Malaysia
Dame Louise Martin, DBE |  Scotland
Honorary Life Vice-Presidents | Alexander B. Chapman, HBM  |  Trinidad and Tobago
Sharad Rao  |  Kenya
Sir Austin Sealy, SCM  |  Barbados
Dr. Manikavasagam Jegathesan |  Malaysia
Gideon Sam  |  South Africa
Bruce Robertson |  Canada

## Organisation

[edit]

### CGF General Assembly

[edit]

The General Assembly is the ultimate governance and authority in the CGF with powers to vote on decisions, including on which cities and Commonwealth Games Association's will host the Commonwealth Games. It consists of 3 or more representatives of a Commonwealth Games Association of each member countries and territories, the Vice-Patron, Life Vice-Presidents and the members of the Executive Board.

Sessions of the General Assembly are chaired by the CGF President, with each CGA and the President having one vote. However the Vice-Patron, Life Vice-Presidents, the Executive Board, representatives of an Organising Committee (OC) of a Commonwealth Games and observers invited by the President may deliberate but do not have voting powers at the General Assembly.[11]

## Honours

[edit]

As well as awarding medals to athletes, the Federation may award membership of the Order of Merit (Commonwealth Games Federation) for distinguished services rendered to the Commonwealth Games movement, including the games themselves, to the federation and to a Commonwealth Games Association. The honour is awarded on the recommendation of the Executive Board at the General Assembly.

On recommendation of the Executive Board, at General Assembly the federation may also elect Life Vice-Presidents, providing there are no more than six Life Vice-Presidents at a time as an award for services to the CGF. Former Chairmen and presidents automatically become a Life Vice-President.[12]

## Leadership

[edit]

The President of the Commonwealth Games Federation is responsible for chairing the Executive Board and the General Assembly. A candidate is elected to the position by the General Assembly the year following the Commonwealth Games. Other duties include inviting the Head of the Commonwealth for the opening and closing declaration of the games and overseeing the preparations for upcoming events.

Previously before the XVI Commonwealth Games in 1998, the President was a ceremonial role, taking on the duties of the Vice-Patron. The late Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh served as the president between 1955 and 1990.[13][14] The chairman was elected by the General Assembly as head of the Commonwealth Games Federation.[15]

No.  | Name  | Origin  | Took office  | Left office  | Games

|
|
|
|
|

1  | Sir James Leigh-Wood, KBE, CB, CMG |  England | 1930  | 1938  |

* 1930: I British Empire Games
* 1934: II British Empire Games
* 1938: III British Empire Games

2  | Arthur Porritt, Baron Porritt, Bt., KCMG CBE |  New Zealand | 1950  | 1966  |

* 1950: IV British Empire Games
* 1954: V British Empire and Commonwealth Games
* 1958: VI British Empire and Commonwealth Games
* 1962: VII British Empire and Commonwealth Games
* 1966: VIII British Empire and Commonwealth Games

3  | Sir Alexander Ross |  New Zealand | 1968  | 1982  |

* 1970: IX British Commonwealth Games
* 1974: X British Commonwealth Games
* 1978: XI Commonwealth Games
* 1982: XII Commonwealth Games

4  | Peter Heatly, CBE, DL |  Scotland | 1982  | 1990  |

* 1986: XIII Commonwealth Games
* 1990: XIV Commonwealth Games

5  | Arnaldo de Oliveira Sales GBM, OBE, JP |  Hong Kong | 1994  | 1997  |

* 1994: XV Commonwealth Games

6  | Michael Fennell, OJ, CD |  Jamaica | 1997  | 2010  |

* 1998: XVI Commonwealth Games
* 2000: I Commonwealth Youth Games
* 2002: XVII Commonwealth Games
* 2004: II Commonwealth Youth Games
* 2006: XVIII Commonwealth Games
* 2008: III Commonwealth Youth Games
* 2010: XIX Commonwealth Games

7  | Prince Tunku Imran of Negeri Sembilan |  Malaysia | 2010  | 2014  |

* 2011: IV Commonwealth Youth Games
* 2014: XX Commonwealth Games

8  | Dame Louise Martin, DBE |  Scotland | 2014  | 2023  |

* 2015: V Commonwealth Youth Games
* 2017: VI Commonwealth Youth Games
* 2018: XXI Commonwealth Games
* 2022: XXII Commonwealth Games
* 2023: VII Commonwealth Youth Games

9  | Christopher Jenkins |  Wales | 2023  | 2025  |

* None

10  | TBA  | TBA  | TBA  | TBA  |

* 2026: XXIII Commonwealth Games
* 2027: VIII Commonwealth Youth Games

## See also

[edit]

* Global Association of International Sports Federations
* International Olympic Committee

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "The Commonwealth Games Federation – About us". thecgf.com.
2. ^ "Byelaw 6 Official Language" (PDF). Constitutional Documents of the Commonwealth Games Federation. CGF. p. 33\. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 October 2022. Retrieved 30 January 2020.
3. ^ thecgf.com | Commonwealth Games Federation https://www.commonwealthsport.com/news/4248899/president-chris-jenkins-steps-down-from-role | Commonwealth Games Federation. Retrieved 15 April 2025. `{{cite web}}`: Check `|url=` value (help); Missing or empty `|title=` (help)
4. ^ "CGF Executive Board | Commonwealth Games Federation". thecgf.com. Archived from the original on 4 November 2021. Retrieved 29 January 2020.
5. ^ "CGF Executive Board | Commonwealth Games Federation". thecgf.com. Archived from the original on 4 November 2021. Retrieved 29 January 2020.
6. ^ "The Commonwealth Games Federation | Commonwealth Games Federation". thecgf.com. Retrieved 29 January 2020.
7. ^ "The Commonwealth Games Federation | Commonwealth Games Federation". thecgf.com. Retrieved 29 January 2020.
8. ^ "The Commonwealth Games Federation". Commonwealth Sport. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
9. ^ "Commonwealth Games Federation – The Story of The Commonwealth Games". thecgf.com. Archived from the original on 16 April 2017. Retrieved 15 April 2017.
10. ^ "Commonwealth Games Federation Executive Board". Commonwealth Sport. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
11. ^ "ORGANISATION OF GENERAL ASSEMBLY MEETINGS" (PDF). Constitutional Documents of the Commonwealth Games Federation. CGF. pp. 14–22\. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 October 2022. Retrieved 30 January 2020.
12. ^ "Patron, Vice Patron, Honorary Life Presidents, Honorary Life Vice Presidents, Honorary Life Members and Order of Merit" (PDF). Constitutional Documents of the Commonwealth Games Federation. CGF. p. 12\. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 October 2022. Retrieved 30 January 2020.
13. ^ Barker, Philip. "The Queen and the Commonwealth Games". CGF. Archived from the original on 1 February 2023. Retrieved 31 January 2023.
14. ^ "Sport". The Royal Family. Retrieved 31 January 2023.
15. ^ "Commonwealth Games Federation – Heads". thecgf.com. Archived from the original on 16 April 2017. Retrieved 15 April 2017.

## External links

[edit]

* Commonwealth Sport website
* The CGF on Twitter

* v
* t
* e

Commonwealth Games

* CGF
* Bids
* CGAs
* Participating nations
* Commonwealth Day
* Inter-Empire Championships
* Queen's Baton Relay
* Medal table
* Sports
* Records
* Mascots
* Results
* Winter Games

Commonwealth Games|

* 1930 Hamilton
* 1934 London
* 1938 Sydney
* 1950 Auckland
* 1954 Vancouver
* 1958 Cardiff
* 1962 Perth
* 1966 Kingston
* 1970 Edinburgh
* 1974 Christchurch
* 1978 Edmonton
* 1982 Brisbane
* 1986 Edinburgh
* 1990 Auckland
* 1994 Victoria
* 1998 Kuala Lumpur
* 2002 Manchester
* 2006 Melbourne
* 2010 Delhi
* 2014 Glasgow
* 2018 Gold Coast
* 2022 Birmingham
* 2026 Glasgow
* 2030 TBA

Commonwealth Youth Games|

* 2000 Edinburgh
* 2004 Bendigo
* 2008 Pune
* 2011 Isle of Man
* 2015 Apia
* 2017 Nassau
* 2023 Trinidad and Tobago

* Category
* Commons

Portals:

* Sports
* United Kingdom
* London

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template