Date: 23 JULY - 04 AUGUST
Host: Scotland
Countries: 71
Events: 261
Athletes: 4929
The Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games will be remembered as one of the most successful Games ever. 71 nations and territories competed in 17 sports over 11 days, from 23 July to 4 August. From the precision of lawn bowls to the exciting combat of boxing, judo, and wrestling – from the high adrenaline of athletics and cycling track events to the grace and beauty of gymnastics, the city of Glasgow staged a fantastic summer of sport, as well as a range of cultural and arts events for everyone.
The Sports programme comprised 17 sports: Aquatics (Diving, Swimming); Athletics; Badminton; Boxing; Cycling (Mountain Bike, Road, Track), Gymnastics (Artistic, Rhythmic); Hockey; Judo; Lawn Bowls; Netball; Rugby Sevens; Shooting, Squash, Table Tennis, Triathlon; Weightlifting and Wrestling. In addition, the biggest-ever number of Para-Sports Medals in Commonwealth Games History - 22 Medal events in total, included the innovative new Triathlon Mixed Relay event and the first Para-Sport Cycling (Track) event. Most sports took place in three compact venue clusters within the city borders, with the shooting programme held at Carnoustie, the diving events in Edinburgh, and the triathlon races at Strathclyde Country Park.
Bidding for the 2014 Commonwealth Games started on 24 February 2006 and continued until the winner was announced on 9 November 2007. Glasgow won the race with 47 votes versus 24 for Abuja and was selected to host the XX edition of the Games by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth Games Federation at a meeting in Sri Lanka.
The Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games set a new gold standard for the Commonwealth sports movement, new benchmarks for hosting major events in Scotland. The Games generated well-deserved accolades for Glasgow which, as Host City, embraced athletes and visitors warmly during Scotland’s biggest-ever sporting and cultural festival. The public sector funding package allocated to the Games enabled the entire event to be delivered to exceptionally high standards – with the quality of the venues and Athletes’ Village universally acknowledged to be outstanding. Glasgow 2014 generated unprecedented local and national support – selling around 1.3 million tickets – as well as steadfast commitment from Games Partners and sponsors.
These have truly been the people's Games. Scotland, you have welcomed the athletes of the Commonwealth and have contributed to them realising their dreams on one of the world's great sporting stages.
In line with the Commonwealth Games Federation’s core values, Glasgow 2014 also, according to the Equality Network, set “a new benchmark for inclusivity”. Glasgow 2014 published its own approach to human rights – the first sporting mega-event organisation to do so anywhere in the world. The Opening and Closing Ceremonies boldly celebrated diversity, winning praise from Amnesty International for ‘The Glasgow Kiss’ that broke down barriers.
A groundbreaking partnership with UNICEF raised £5 million to help children throughout Scotland and the Commonwealth, with celebrities urging people to text their donations in an emotive and uplifting appeal during the Opening Ceremony.
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