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The Forum > Article Comments > Going Mad in New Delhi: The Commonwealth Games in Crisis > Comments

Going Mad in New Delhi: The Commonwealth Games in Crisis : Comments

By Binoy Kampmark, published 27/9/2010

Do the Commonwealth Games have a point anymore?

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Are the Commonwealth Games relevant?

Only in the sense that any international sporting competition is relevant.

Is the fact that the participant nations share a now-vague, and ever-diminishing, historical relationship, relevant?

Only in the sense that any international relationship has the potential to increase communication, reduce misunderstanding and foster harmony.

But most of all I really, really liked last week's comment from a Crikey reader, Pert:

"A blocked toilet, hot and cold taps connected in reverse, a shower door installed BACKWARDS!!?!

Meanwhile, in neighbouring Pakistan..."
Posted by Pericles, Monday, 27 September 2010 11:12:49 AM
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Why not get rid of the Olympics and all other orgies of nationalism, commercialism and egoism? They promote big spectacles at the cost of the displacement and other inconvenience of the people who live in the area where the monstrosities are staged. They generally leave behind debt and unusable constructions.

Sport should be either amateur or professional. Neither should receive any government subsidy for anything.

Those who want to play sport should do it for the fun of it and pay their own way. Groups that do it for money should pay the cost from their profits. If they don't make a profit they should go broke like any other business that does not make a profit.
Posted by david f, Monday, 27 September 2010 12:59:11 PM
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David just ban the anthems, flag waving and only send the best athletes regardless of their country.

btw how would this have happened in the days that it was the empire games? Did the raise the union jack and sing god save the king for every medal?
Posted by gusi, Monday, 27 September 2010 3:12:54 PM
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No, total waste of the taxpayers money,those who think that circus(the Commonwealth itself, not just the Games) is important should pay for it.
Posted by mac, Monday, 27 September 2010 4:07:50 PM
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I agree. It seems no event is ever retired. Just because you've had an event for the last x amount of years, it seems we are destined to have it forever more.

Tradition, ceremony the whole lot leaves me cold. The smaller the world gets and the more people change countries and coach other countries the less relevance these events have. Less is more. Each new sporting event or competition should replace an older one. Twenty20 cricket should replace one day cricket, the commonwealth games should be abandoned. Perhaps we will be lucky and this will be the last one once lawyers come in and everybody sues everybody.

david f,

I bet your one of the people who make a big fuss of banning fireworks every new years eve and tells us all what other use the money spent could have had and how it is all bad for the environment? If so, I congratulate you. I love being a naysayer too, and there's nothing more fun than raining on someone's parade.
Posted by Houellebecq, Tuesday, 28 September 2010 10:30:15 AM
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Dear Houellebecq,

I'm a neighsayer. I like to horse around occasionally.

The Olympics and other international games are bad for the environment, the environment of fun. They get so earnest about gold medals and other trivia that it ceases to be fun. Kids start practicing when they're little for umpteen hours a day and miss childhood where you can just wander around, look at clouds, be with your mates, maybe read fantasy or Nietzsche and explore the other possibilities in the world.

One of my sons was very physically talented and was on an all star baseball team. He didn't want to play the next year so he didn't. His coach called me up several times to try to get me to push him. "He might be a professional." "He's wasting his talent." etc. He didn't enjoy it, and that was enough reason not to continue to do it. He is 51 now and enjoys golf and scuba diving, but they are just for fun.

Fireworks are fun - a spectacle - no records - no nationalism - no egoism - I like them.
Posted by david f, Tuesday, 28 September 2010 11:11:35 AM
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I agree dave,

I was just saying that on another thread about beauty pageants. I cant see how kids being in beauty pageants is any worse than kids going to the institute of sport or spelling or chess competitions at the same age.

You'd like Eric Growthe jnr. He decided he only wanted to play for Parramatta, and was not interested in playing for Australia any more. He said he'd rather play guitar, and he saw the NRL like a job, and he had no ambition to play in these games. He prefers to see himself as a musician who plays football to pay the bills.

http://forums.leagueunlimited.com/showthread.php?s=5fcaf00a18f0748e3d4b4685416bd98d&t=184667
Posted by Houellebecq, Tuesday, 28 September 2010 11:40:44 AM
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The Commonwealth Games or its before the Empire Games are a very important cultural event as well as sporting event.

However, you don't need a 5 star accommodation to sport a cultural event.

If this Commonwealth Games goes without much hitches it will be a success as not all countries can provide a brilliant venue.

It will be a success. The Indians are no fools, maybe a bit disorganised right now, but it will go through eventually as a good
sporting and cultural Commonwealth event. And thanks the Aussie team
for not appearing as too fussy where they sleep.

The sad thing I saw was children helping lay concrete pavers to make
the event work. Maybe we should think this country has kids also working to make the event work. And reward them accordingly.
Posted by Bush bunny, Wednesday, 29 September 2010 10:25:54 PM
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