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The Commonwealth Beach Games would be a multi-sport event featuring Commonwealth Associations competing in sports which take place at or near a beach located in Commonwealth countries.

WHAT

• A multi-sport event featuring Commonwealth Associations competing in beach related sports or sports modified to a beach format.
• Held separately from the Commonwealth Games

Or

• Held in conjunction with the current Commonwealth Games which could be modified to allow for the introduction of beach sports.
• A smaller event comprising a limited number of athletes and sports which could be hosted by countries which are not equipped to host the Commonwealth Games, following the model of the Asian Beach Games and the Youth Olympic Games.
• Held every 4 years, or every 2 years if the event is small enough and thus affordable.
• SPORTS
• Sports which can take place at or near a beach. The list of sports would also depend on whether the games were a separate event or held in conjunction with existing events.
• All or some of the sports listed below:

• Beach Volleyball, Ocean Swimming, Beach Touch Football/Oz Tag, Surfing (and/or bodysurfing, bodyboarding), Surf Life Saving/Ironman ( including surf boat racing, beach sprints, flags…), Triathlon, Water Polo, Rowing, Kabbadi, Road Cycling, Diving, Boxing, Netball or beach Netball, Canoeing/Kayaking, Sailing, Athletics, beach Cricket, Wrestling.
• Sports could be added or omitted depending on the location of the event.

WHERE

• Held in countries or locations with beautiful coastal settings and beautiful beaches.
• Held in smaller countries which are too small or not equipped to host the Commonwealth Games but still have the infrastructure to host this event.
• There are many large and small Commonwealth nations with beautiful coastal settings, such as:

Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, Bahamas, Bermuda, Canada, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, various Caribbean nations and nations in Oceania, as well as Cyprus and Malta and The UK.

Would the UK and Canada be too cold?

Would beaches in South Africa and Mozambique be safe, eg sharks??

WHEN

• Every 2 – 4 years depending on the size of the event and whether it is a separate event or incorporated into the Commonwealth Games.
• Spring/Summer, depending on the climate of the host country and what other sporting events are taking place at the same time.

WHY

• The Commonwealth Games is becoming a less prestigious event in an increasingly crowded international sporting calendar.
• Many top athletes choose not to compete at the Commonwealth Games because it is not as prestigious as it once was and because they are already competing in other major sporting events.
• Evidence of the loss of prestige is the winner of the most important race in any multi-sport event, the men’s 100m sprint. In Delhi, 2010, the winner, Lerone Clarke, was, at the time, ranked no.7 in his own country. Admittedly, his country is Jamaica, the strongest sprinting nation in the world – but six of his more credentialed compatriots chose not to compete.
• The Commonwealth sporting body needs to offer a modern, appealing, attractive event in order to attract the support and sponsorship which sustain major events.
• The potential sports are very appealing and attractive to spectators and sponsors.
• The Commonwealth contains many countries with beautiful coastal locations and sufficient infrastructure to host major events in many different parts of the world.
• The locations allow for great sporting competition and allow the countries to promote tourism through the exposure of their coastal locations.
• The games themselves put money into local economies.
• Commonwealth nations and their athletes perform very well internationally in many of the sports which could be included in the games, ensuring a high standard of competition.
• Full time, professional athletes would now have the chance to represent their country in a major mutli-sport event (such as surf life saving- ironman and surfing).

CONTINENTAL TROPHY

A continental trophy could be introduced in order to offset the potential imbalance in the strength of various nations in beach sports.

The strong nations, such as Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and England/UK, are still likely to dominate the medal tally. Thus, countries could be combined in an extra medal tally which determines the winner of the Continental Trophy.

Teams

1. South Africa and Africa
2. Canada and the Americas/Caribbean
3. England and Europe
4. New Zealand and Oceania
5. Australia and Asia

Australia could be ‘adopted’ by Asia in order to keep the competition even (just as Australia is now part of Asia for Football)

Athletes would compete in their events as per normal. The total medal tally would exist as per normal.

Additionally, the medals of each country would be combined to create a total point score for each continent. The continental trophy could also include a cash prize which would go towards developing sport in those countries. Thus, if Australia were to win many medals in surfing or Surf Life Saving, they would be contributing to their own medal tally as well as winning financial support for the development of sport in countries throughout Asia.

While the big nations will still win most of the medals, some regions would be likely to win medal in certain events. If a conventional or even modified version of Athletics is part of the games, the Caribbean would still win many sprints and Africa many of the distance events, thus boosting their continental total. Conversely, if a sport like Kabbadi were included, India or Pakistan would most likely win the competition and secure points for Asia.

Combined team events.

Certain events could involve competition between continental teams, especially relays, which would also contribute towards the continental trophy. This format could be tested at the CYG, just as they were at YOG.