Ongoing dialogue with Governments, members and other stakeholders has led to the creation of a new framework for advancing the Commonwealth Games’ relevance by prioritising five pillars of 'wealth' creation: sport, cultural, social, diplomatic, and economic wealth. These underpin the purpose and impact of the Commonwealth Games and wider Movement and are outlined below:
- Sport Wealth: Through sport, individuals and communities can flourish, as it improves health and well-being, promotes social cohesion, teamwork, respect and tolerance, and creates spaces for young people to thrive. A strong inclusive sport system gives everyone the opportunity to participate and grow, leaving no-one behind, from grassroots to the elite level. This ethos sits at the heart of Commonwealth Sport.
- Diplomatic Wealth: Sport brings nations together, fostering exchange, and mutual respect both on and off the field; strengthening the ties for the Commonwealth and presenting opportunities for sharing, co-operation, support and advancement of global goals and peace. Sport is a collective, unifying force, giving everyone a voice while promoting national and Commonwealth identities.
- Economic Wealth: We boost economies and employment – not just for Games hosts but across the Commonwealth - through the development of a vibrant sport industry, a platform for promoting international trade, tourism, infrastructure development, sparking innovation promotion and engaging young people and other marginalised groups in training, skills development and employment.
- Cultural Wealth: A celebration of the rich diversity of cultures in the Commonwealth, as an inclusive Movement that promotes cultural exchange, transcending borders, preserving the cultural diversity of the Commonwealth and celebrating what makes us unique through mutual respect, pride and unity, honouring the resilience of indigenous (and traditional) cultures.
- Social Wealth: Uniting to harness the power of sport to address urgent national and collective development priorities, maximizing the contribution sport can make to social inclusion, equality, human rights, education, historical injustice and climate resilience across the Commonwealth.
Building on this framework the following ten principles have been identified to create a modern, flexible Games blueprint for the future that inspires Athletes, delivers tangible legacy benefits to potential Hosts and creates sustainable 'common wealth':
Games Reset Principles
- The Games will be purpose driven with a renewed focus on a Commonwealth united by sport and through the creation of sporting, diplomatic, economic, culture and social wealth.
- A more collaborative dialogue with host country governments and CGAs will lead to a co-created Games and Games pipeline.
- Hosting costs will be reduced by at least 60% from the historic Commonwealth Games costs to diversify the hosting pipeline and enable more, new countries and regions to bid. This will be achieved through continued delivery optimisation and encouraging the use of existing venues for sport and accommodation, unless additional infrastructure is part of existing national development plans which will happen irrespective of a Games.
- With little or no new capital infrastructure requirement, budgets and timelines are significantly de-risked. The Games will be funded through a mix of public investment and commercial revenues, with budgets being co-created. The Games will be delivered within – and if necessary, rescoped to fit - the budget available and Governments will no longer be expected to provide an unlimited financial underwrite.
- Host nations will have increased flexibility to shape the Games and ensure legacy benefit for local communities. Commonwealth Sport, host CGA and host Government and community (public, private and third sector) will work together to co-create the event and associated legacy benefits and social return on investment.
- As above, the Commonwealth Games will involve an innovative sports programme, co-created between Commonwealth Sport and potential host, that attracts the best Athletes in the Commonwealth while maintaining an optimised, maximum number of Athletes and officials.
- Commonwealth Games will maintain full commitment to integrated Para sport and supporting the Para athlete development pathway.
- In additional to single city proposals, co-hosting within a country and across nations and territories will be actively encouraged to open up more hosting opportunities for more Commonwealth countries.
- Legacy planning across sporting, diplomatic, economic, culture and social wealth will be a central part of a co-created Games concept.
- Environmental sustainability targets will be embedded in Games hosting vision.
