Commonwealth Games

OLYMPIC CHAMPION FREEMAN WELCOMES CHANGE TO AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL ANTHEM

Published

4 years ago

January 2, 2021

Olympic gold medallist Cathy Freeman has led welcomes for a change to the Australian national anthem which has been introduced today.

“What a way to start the year”, Freeman 400 metres champion at Sydney 2000, wrote in a social media message.

“A phone call from our Prime Minister to say that we are ‘One and Free!’

“Thank you!!!”

A stanza of the anthem has been altered from “young and free” to the words “one and free” in a move announced by Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

“While Australia as a modern nation may be relatively young, our country’s story is ancient, as are the stories of the many First Nations peoples whose stewardship we rightly acknowledge and respect,” said the Prime Minister.

“In the spirit of unity, it is only right that we ensure our national anthem reflects this truth and shared appreciation.”

Freeman had supported the Recognition in Anthem Project (RAP), an initiative with the same acronym as the Reconciliation Action Plans which were introduced to widen opportunities for indigenous groups and seen at the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games.

Freeman had famously flourished the Aboriginal flag on her lap of honour after 200m and 400m victories at the 1994 Commonwealth Games in Victoria, and did the same in 2000 after her Olympic gold in Sydney.

Ken Wyatt, Minister for Indigenous Australians, described the lyric change as “small in nature but significant in purpose”.

New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian insisted the lyrics had previously ignored Australia’s “proud First Nations culture”.

Although there are plans to add an additional verse, boxer and former rugby league star Anthony Mundine said that “one word change isn’t good enough” and called on the country to “scrap the song and start fresh” with a new national anthem.

Last month, the anthem was led by 17-year-old Olivia Fox, a member of the Wiradjuri people and a student from the Newtown High School of the Performing Arts, before a rugby union match between Australia and Argentina.

Fox sang in the indigenous Eora language, as well as English.

This followed the example of New Zealand and South Africa, where anthems are also performed in indigenous languages.

In 1988 at the Calgary Winter Olympics, Canadian anthem O Canada was sung by Daniel Tlen in Southern Tutchone, the language of a First Nation language spoken in Yukon communities.

Although written in 1878 by Scottish-born composer Peter Dodds McCormick, Advance Australia Fair was not officially adopted as the Australian national anthem until 1984.

In 1956, when Australia hosted the Olympics for the first time, God Save the Queen was played in Melbourne.

At the Sydney Olympics, Advance Australia Fair was played in what the official Sydney 2000 report described as “a distinctive rendition”.

The quartet “Human Nature” sang the first verse acapella before soloist Julie Anthony, accompanied by the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, carried on the melody to great applause.

The indigenous flag was also flown on Sydney’s municipal buildings throughout the 2000 Olympics.

Tokyo 2020 later this year will likely hear the new lyrics sung at an Olympic event for the first time.

-insidethegames

Commonwealth Games

Scotland which beat Nigeria for 2014 Games may step in for ‘stepped-down’ 2026 Commonwealth Games

Published

5 months ago

April 13, 2024

Kunle Solaja

Scotland’s Commonwealth Games body has developed a “cost-effective” way to host the troubled 2026 event in Glasgow amid continued uncertainty over its long-term future. Glasgow beat Abuja, Nigeria for the 2014 Games which Nigeria had intended to use to mark the 100^{^th} anniversary of the creation of the nation state.

Nigeria became a geographical entity 0n 1 January 1914 when the northern part and Southern part as well as the Lagos Colony were amalgamated.

The 2014 Games were awarded to Scotland which is now likely to use the same facilities for the troubled 2026 edition following the withdrawal of Australian state of Victoria as hosts.

Glasgow commissioned a feasibility study in December. Estimates suggest Scotland could run the event for between £130m and £150m – with the potential to bring more than £100m into the economy.

Existing sports facilities like the Emirates Arena would be used again instead of new builds, and competitors would be housed in local hotels rather than an athletes’ village.

The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) has said it will provide £100m for the chosen host nation, with the remaining budget funded by ticket sales and broadcasting rights.

The usual programme, however, would need to be cut down to between 10 and 13 events.

Commonwealth Games

New blow for Commonwealth Games as Malaysia rejects offer to host 2026 edition

Published

6 months ago

March 22, 2024

Kunle Solaja

New blow for Commonwealth Games as Malaysia rejects offer to host 2026 edition

Malaysia has rejected an offer to host the 2026 Commonwealth Games due to uncertainty over costs and insufficient funding offered, its government said on Friday, in a major setback for the quadrennial multi-sport event.

Malaysia was asked to step in after the Australian state of Victoria withdrew as host, citing ballooning costs, with the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) offering 100 million pounds ($126 million) in supporting funds.

Malaysia ruling itself out raises the possibility that the Games may not take place for the first time since being cancelled due to the Second World War.

The funding offered was not enough, officials said, and Malaysia could not commit to hosting the event at such short notice and with little time to assess the potential economic impact.

“If we had a longer time, we would definitely do it, but because there’s such a short time, we definitely can’t do it,” government spokesperson and Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil told a regular briefing.

“When we assessed the viability of hosting the Games, the length of time needed and the cost was seen to be particularly prohibitive.”

The London-based CGF did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment on Malaysia declining its offer.

The youth and sports ministry said the 100 million pounds funding it had offered would not be enough to cover the costs of hosting a large-scale sports event.

“Additionally, the economic impact could not be identified in this short timeframe,” it said in a statement.

RELEVANCE QUESTIONED

The Games are typically contested by about 70 countries and territories of the former British empire and medals tables have in recent editions been dominated by Australia, England, Canada, India, New Zealand and South Africa.

Victoria’s withdrawal had already placed the future of the event in doubt and raised questions about whether a Games with colonial origins was still relevant in the modern era, and over its place in an already packed global sporting calendar.

The Games has struggled to find a willing host in recent years and five of the last six editions have been held in Australia or Britain.

The English city of Birmingham, which had been due to host in 2026, stepped in to save the 2022 event after South Africa were stripped of hosting rights over a lack of progress in preparations.

Birmingham’s move led to the CGF scrambling to find another host for 2026 and Victoria had been the only viable candidate after several other cities withdrew from the bidding process over cost issues.

The proposal had received a mixed response in Malaysia, which hosted the 1998 edition, due to concerns about costs and the lack of preparation time.

The Malaysian Olympic Council had this week proposed holding a downsized Games, with limited spending on athletes’ accommodations and smaller opening and closing ceremonies.

-Reuters

Commonwealth Games

New blow for Commonwealth Games as Malaysia rejects offer to host 2026 edition –

Published

6 months ago

March 22, 2024

Kunle Solaja

Malaysia ruling itself out raises the possibility that the Games may not take place for the first time since being cancelled due to the Second World War.

The funding offered was not enough, officials said, and Malaysia could not commit to hosting the event at such short notice and with little time to assess the potential economic impact.

“When we assessed the viability of hosting the Games, the length of time needed and the cost was seen to be particularly prohibitive.”

The London-based CGF did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment on Malaysia declining its offer.

The youth and sports ministry said the 100 million pounds funding it had offered would not be enough to cover the costs of hosting a large-scale sports event.

“Additionally, the economic impact could not be identified in this short timeframe,” it said in a statement.

RELEVANCE QUESTIONED

The Games has struggled to find a willing host in recent years and five of the last six editions have been held in Australia or Britain.

The English city of Birmingham, which had been due to host in 2026, stepped in to save the 2022 event after South Africa were stripped of hosting rights over a lack of progress in preparations.

The proposal had received a mixed response in Malaysia, which hosted the 1998 edition, due to concerns about costs and the lack of preparation time.

The Malaysian Olympic Council had this week proposed holding a downsized Games, with limited spending on athletes’ accommodations and smaller opening and closing ceremonies.

-Reuters