Editorial-29/07/2026
Diminishing relevance: On the Commonwealth Games
The Commonwealth Games, once conceived as a friendly sporting festival among nations with shared colonial history, are today struggling to justify their existence. What was once a celebrated platform for athletic competition, cultural exchange, and soft diplomacy now appears increasingly burdened by questions of cost, colonial legacy, participation quality, and institutional relevance. The recent downsizing of the Games has only sharpened the debate: are the Commonwealth Games evolving into a more efficient sporting event, or are they slowly becoming an anachronism in a world that has moved beyond empire-era affiliations?
At a broader level, the debate over the Commonwealth Games is not merely about one sporting event. It reflects the changing nature of global sport, the economics of mega-events, and the decline of old political identities in an era defined by commercialisation, regional blocs, and more inclusive international sporting structures. The question is no longer whether the Games are cherished by a few, but whether they continue to serve a meaningful purpose in contemporary sports culture.
A legacy rooted in empire
The Commonwealth Games trace their origins to the British Empire Games, first held in 1930. Their original purpose was to bring together athletes from across the British Empire and later the Commonwealth in a framework of friendly competition. Over time, the event was rebranded and broadened, but its symbolic foundations remained tied to the historical memory of empire.
That legacy once gave the Games a certain relevance. For many newly independent countries, especially from Asia and Africa, the event offered an accessible international platform where athletes could gain exposure and medals at a level below the Olympic intensity. For smaller sporting nations, it created opportunities to showcase talent on an equal footing with more established competitors. In this sense, the Commonwealth Games were once valuable not only as a contest of athletic skill but also as a stage for post-colonial visibility.
However, the very identity that once sustained the event has become its burden. In a world increasingly conscious of colonial exploitation and historical asymmetry, the idea of a sporting event structured around a former imperial network feels increasingly outdated. The Commonwealth as an organisation has already lost much of its political weight, and the Games, as its sporting extension, have suffered the same fate.
The decline of prestige
One of the most visible reasons for the diminishing relevance of the Commonwealth Games is the decline in sporting prestige. In global sport, relevance depends heavily on the quality of competition and the presence of top athletes. The Olympics, World Championships, and professional leagues now dominate the attention of both athletes and spectators. Against such competition, the Commonwealth Games occupy a relatively marginal position.
Many elite athletes treat the Games as a secondary event. In several sports, top participants from outside the Commonwealth are absent by design, which automatically reduces the competitive standard. Since countries like the United States, China, Japan, Russia, and most of sporting Europe do not participate, the event cannot claim to be truly global in the way the Olympics can. This narrows its appeal to viewers, sponsors, and broadcasters.
The consequence is a cycle of decline. Lower prestige leads to weaker participation, weaker participation lowers public interest, and reduced interest makes the event less attractive for media coverage and commercial investment. When a sports event no longer commands aspiration among the world’s best athletes, its legitimacy begins to erode.
Financial strain and host fatigue
A second major factor behind the Commonwealth Games’ declining relevance is the growing financial burden of hosting them. Mega-events are increasingly scrutinised for their costs, especially when the long-term benefits are uncertain. Building infrastructure, maintaining venues, ensuring security, and organising large ceremonies demand enormous public expenditure. In an era when governments face competing social priorities, such spending is harder to justify.
This is not a problem unique to the Commonwealth Games, but the Games have suffered more because their prestige does not match their price tag. Unlike the Olympics, which still carry unmatched global attention, the Commonwealth Games often fail to deliver equivalent economic or reputational returns. As a result, potential hosts are becoming reluctant.
The withdrawal of Victoria in Australia from hosting the 2026 edition, reportedly due to ballooning costs, is a powerful indicator of this trend. When a relatively affluent and sports-friendly region rejects the event, it reveals deeper structural weakness. The host model itself appears unsustainable if costs continue to rise while interest remains flat or declines.
For many countries, especially developing ones, the opportunity cost is even greater. Funds spent on hosting the Games could otherwise support schools, hospitals, urban infrastructure, or grassroots sports development. If an event cannot demonstrate clear public value beyond temporary spectacle, its long-term viability becomes questionable.
Colonial symbolism and modern discomfort
Another reason the Games struggle for relevance lies in their historical symbolism. The Commonwealth is not simply a neutral sporting association; it is a political and cultural inheritance of empire. While some view it as a platform for post-colonial cooperation, others see it as a softened remnant of Britain’s imperial past.
In the present era, this symbolism matters. Younger generations and many post-colonial states are less willing to invest emotional or political meaning in institutions rooted in imperial history. Global sport is increasingly shaped by inclusion, universal appeal, and merit-based competition. An event limited to nations within a former colonial network appears narrower and less representative than truly international sporting competitions.
This does not mean the Commonwealth Games have no value simply because of their origin. Historical institutions can evolve. But the Games have struggled to create a new identity strong enough to replace their old imperial association. Their branding remains tied to a political imagination that no longer resonates widely.
What they still offer
Despite these criticisms, it would be unfair to dismiss the Commonwealth Games entirely. They continue to offer certain benefits, particularly for smaller and mid-level sporting nations. For many athletes, the Games provide valuable international exposure, competitive experience, and a realistic chance to win medals. This can help build sporting ecosystems in countries where elite sport is still developing.
The Games also help maintain attention on sports that do not always receive the same visibility in other global tournaments. For example, disciplines such as netball, lawn bowls, and certain para-sports have often found a meaningful platform within the Commonwealth framework. In that sense, the Games still serve a developmental function.
For countries like India, the event has also played a role in creating a broader sports culture. Indian athletes have historically performed well in several editions, and the visibility of medal success can inspire public interest in sport beyond cricket. The Games have thus had a symbolic value in countries seeking to widen their sporting footprint.
Yet these strengths are not enough to reverse the broader trend. A competition can retain developmental value and still lose central relevance. That is the dilemma facing the Commonwealth Games today.
The Indian experience
India’s relationship with the Commonwealth Games is especially instructive. On the one hand, the event has brought India medal success and international exposure. On the other, it has exposed serious governance flaws, especially during the Delhi 2010 Games, which became synonymous with corruption, mismanagement, and inflated costs.
That episode remains important for public administration and governance analysis. It demonstrated how sporting ambition, if not backed by institutional integrity, can become a source of embarrassment rather than national pride. The scandals around procurement, construction, and project execution showed the dangers of weak oversight and political interference.
India’s experience also underlines another issue: sports policy cannot be reduced to one-off mega-events. If the objective is to improve athletic performance, the real priority should be grassroots infrastructure, school-level coaching, sports science, anti-doping systems, and transparent selection processes. Hosting a large event may create visibility, but it cannot substitute for sustained institutional reform.
The doping issue further complicates India’s sporting image. Recurrent doping controversies undermine credibility and weaken the moral authority of Indian sport. In a competition that already struggles for global prestige, such problems only deepen the sense that the event is not part of a high-integrity sporting ecosystem. For India, then, the Commonwealth Games should be viewed less as an end in themselves and more as one instrument within a broader sports governance strategy.
Can reform save the Games?
The natural response to decline is reform. Some have argued that the Commonwealth Games should be scaled down into a leaner, cheaper, more flexible event. A reduced format could focus on core sports, limit infrastructure spending, and prioritise existing venues over new construction. This would make hosting more affordable and potentially more attractive to future cities.
There is also merit in giving the Games a sharper developmental and inclusive role. Greater emphasis on para-sports, women’s participation, and disciplines that receive less attention elsewhere could provide a distinctive identity. If the event cannot rival the Olympics in prestige, it may still survive by offering something different.
However, reform alone may not solve the identity problem. The deeper question is whether the Commonwealth Games still have a compelling reason to exist at all. Sporting institutions survive when they combine tradition with contemporary relevance. They fade when tradition becomes ritual and relevance disappears. The Commonwealth Games are now close to that threshold.
Conclusion
The Commonwealth Games are not irrelevant because they lack history; they are becoming irrelevant because history alone is no longer enough. Their imperial legacy sits uneasily with modern sensibilities, their sporting prestige has declined, and their economic model has become increasingly difficult to sustain. While they still offer opportunities for smaller nations and developing athletes, these advantages may not be sufficient to preserve the event in its current form.
The bigger lesson extends beyond sport. Institutions that fail to adapt to changing political, economic, and cultural realities gradually lose significance, even if they once played an important role. The Commonwealth Games now stand at that crossroads. They can either reinvent themselves in a leaner, more meaningful format, or continue their slow drift into ceremonial obsolescence.
For India, and for other Commonwealth nations, the debate should not be sentimental. It should be strategic. The future of sport lies in quality, inclusivity, transparency, and public value — not in nostalgia for a past that the world has already left behind.
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