1986 Commonwealth Games

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.

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.

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.

Boycott

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. 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.

Opening ceremony

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.

Venues

• Balgreen, (Bowls)
• Barry Buddon (Shooting)
• Ingliston Showground Pavilion (also called the Exhibition Hall) (Boxing)
• Meadowbank Stadium (Badminton)
• Playhouse Theatre (Wrestling and weightlifting)
• Royal Commonwealth Pool (Aquatics)
• Strathclyde Park, Glasgow (Rowing)

Medal table

|File:Commonwealth games medal, Scotland, 1986.jpg |Commonwealth games medal, 1986 |File:Commemorative medal Front side, Scotland, 1986.jpg |Commemorative medal front side

Medals by event

Aquatics

Main article: Aquatics at the 1986 Commonwealth Games

Athletics

Main article: Athletics at the 1986 Commonwealth Games

Badminton

Main article: Badminton at the 1986 Commonwealth Games

Boxing

Main article: Boxing at the 1986 Commonwealth Games

Cycling

Track

Road

Judo (demonstration sport)

Main article: Judo at the 1986 Commonwealth Games

Lawn bowls

Main article: Lawn bowls at the 1986 Commonwealth Games

Rowing

Shooting

Pistol

Rifle

Shotgun

Weightlifting

Wrestling

References

References

1. Oliver, Brian. (22 July 2014). "The forgotten story of … Robert Maxwell’s 1986 Commonwealth Games". [[The Guardian]].
2. (9 May 2007). "Glasgow makes final call for 2014 Games - Athletics - Scotsman.com". News.scotsman.com.
3. Fraser, Graham (25 April 2014). [https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/commonwealth-games/27165110 Glasgow 2014: The Bermuda boycott of 1986 that still hurts] . BBC Sport. Retrieved on 19 August 2015.
4. (29 February 2012). "Scottish independence referendum will increase interest in Glasgow 2014, it is claimed | Glasgow 2014". insidethegames.biz.
5. Fraser, Graham (25 April 2014). [https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/commonwealth-games/27165110 Glasgow 2014: The Bermuda boycott of 1986 that still hurts] . BBC Sport. Retrieved on 2 November 2014.
6. "8 More Nations Join Boycott of Commonwealth Games; Total Now 23". Los Angeles Times.
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8. (2003). "Encyclopedia of international games". McFarland & Co.
9. ["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.).
10. (31 May 1986). "Book your place at the Games". Sporting Post.
11. (3 March 1986). "Ingliston big sell takes off". Edinburgh Evening News.
12. (24 January 1986). "Rotaract told of the Games". West Lothian Courier.
13. (30 July 1986). "Colossus of Oz fills the stage". Evening Post.
14. "Mike Burrell". [[New Zealand Olympic Committee]].
15. "Neil Gibson". [[New Zealand Olympic Committee]].
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18. "Andrew Stevenson". [[New Zealand Olympic Committee]].
19. "Don Symon". [[New Zealand Olympic Committee]].
20. "Carl Vincent". [[New Zealand Olympic Committee]].
21. "Ian Wright". [[New Zealand Olympic Committee]].
22. "Andrew Hay". [[New Zealand Olympic Committee]].
23. (28 July 1986). "Commonwealth Games". The Standard.
24. (28 July 1986). "Results: Day Two". The Sydney Morning Herald.
25. (31 July 1986). "Results:Day Five". The Sydney Morning Herald.
26. (3 August 1986). "Day Eight: All the Results". The Sydney Morning Herald.