Why I Haven't Watched the Commonwealth Games

Some might start an article like this by announcing that "on the face of it, these Games aren't problematic". But I'm not really sure which face of the Games these people have been looking at. On the smallest scale of problems, Usain Bolt, probably the world's most famous athlete has allegedly muttered that the Games in Glasgow are "a bit shit". On a larger scale, the Games deal with a Colonial legacy that Britain seems to have overcome. More accurately, perhaps, many of us have forgotten.

There are problems found as easily as looking at the name of the Games. The "wealth" that is said to be "common" is very far from being so. One only needs to look back four years, to the Games in Delhi to see how that particular Imperial lie has continued, and continued to fail.

 Those games were generally successful in the end, but the controversy leading up to the start of the Games cannot be ignored. Tales of corruption ran rife, as they always seem to do when countries outside of Western Europe and the US organise large tournaments or competitions. And athlete's portrayed what seemed to be quite understandable concerns regarding safety  and living standards in the Village.

Some might argue that this is simply bad luck, that India happens to be a post-colonial nation, and happened to suffer these setbacks when hosting the Games. But this is a lazy analysis. India was once again put in the position of the colonised nation, expected to reveal its wonders to the European powerhouses which came to visit. However, as a nation still struggling with some aspects of post-colonial life (as one might expect, due to the tyrannical nature of such regimes)these issues and failures resulted.

On a sporting level, these Games were a success, as I'm sure the Glasgow Games are proving to be. However, the nature of this 4-yearly event cannot be isolated as a solely sporting creation. They are linked horribly literally to the age of the British Empire, when we raped and pillaged our way to control of one third of the Earth.

Yet, instead of teaching in our schools and universities how this era of history was not something to be proud of, we hold a sporting tournament to bring together all those nations who experienced Colonial rule, from either side of the aisle. Except the United States, of course. They had the temerity to revolt, and declare independence. How dare they? 

We are treated to an awkward, not-quite-as-good-as-London-but-with-a-gay-kiss Opening Ceremony, and the Queen "photo bombing" some athletes. As if she knows what that is. (Yes, I may not have been watching the games, but I do read Buzzfeed every so often.) I'm afraid that doesn't quite cut it.

This is not just a sporting event. This is a living legacy of a Colonial period of history which should be regretted, and whose evils should be taught.  We should not celebrate, and we certainly shouldn't force the nations we occupied to celebrate alongside us, as though they were equal partners in this episode. They were not. It's time for Britain to stand up, and make amends.