Relevance of the Commonwealth Games coming under question
The Commonwealth Games have always served to their true purpose of bringing the commons from member countries closer in respect of culture and tradition. However, owing to certain reasons, the relevance of the 19th Commonwealth Games, which are
being held in India, is coming under questions of great concern.
Commonwealth Games are considered to be the largest in the world after the Olympics. However, the way things have unfolded at Delhi, which have culminated in many countries abandoning their players (either officially or out of players’ own will) from the
event, one can say that the representation of merit would not be possible at this juncture.
Keeping this point in mind along with the deteriorating health and security measures to which the players around the World are being exposed to at Delhi, a theory is fast emerging.
The criticism the 19th Commonwealth Games are getting from different circles is of two types. The first one is coming from those, who are concerned with inadequate arrangements at Delhi, while the second one is coming from the people, who are
altogether against the idea of holding these games.
At their emergence in Canada in 1928, Commonwealth Games were first named as the friendly games and freedom games. While some critics also called them the British Commonwealth Games because most of the countries participating in these games have been under
British colonial rule. The critics of the Commonwealth Games have always regarded them as a celebration of the British Empire or the celebration of the cruellest crime committed against humanity, which is slavery.
The critics, which are against the idea of organizing Commonwealth games are of the view that these games still show the racial hegemony of Britain over the rest of the participants. More so considering Imperialist Europe still has not apologized for what
it did to its colonies. They further say that perhaps that was the reason that so far the event had failed to attract any reasonable sponsors for it.
However, those who do not dwell on the matter, with the perspective of racialism and colonialism are of the view that the sports allow for a fair competition which is far above the theory knit in the name of racial supremacy. They further say that sports
are perfect tools for enhancing skills and professionalism, not only among the individuals but among the professionals as well.
Yet, the way the 19th Commonwealth Games has been handled at Delhi, may have played a major role in plaguing the spirit of the event. The way nations around the globe first took mild stands against the sub-standard preparations for the event and
in the end abandoned most of their major players from participating, the question “are the games worth the trouble” has been raised.
Comparing the Commonwealth Games with some of the prestigious sports events like Olympics and FIFA, both of the former events invite spectators, which are hundred times greater than those assuring their participation into the later one. Moreover, the response
of the sponsors for FIFA and Olympics is rather bustling, but for Commonwealth Games, it can definitely be termed as unsophisticated.
With such a response from sponsors and participants, India, which is termed as the third poorest nation in the World is surely left alone in the battle of delivering World class facilities to the participants.
The inability of the Games federation for raising the required funds has left India still struggling with the unfinished athletes’ village, deteriorated infrastructure, and security problems, puts the relevance of Commonwealth Games under serious question.
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