1970 Commonwealth Paraplegic Games
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2016}}
{{Use British English|date=November 2016}}
{{Infobox games
| name = III Commonwealth Paraplegic Games
| logo = File:1970 Commonwealth Paraplegic Games logo.jpg
| size =
| host_city = Edinburgh, Scotland
| caption =
| nations = 14
| athletes = 197 (145 Male/52 Female)
| sports = 11
| events = 150
| opening = 26 July 1970
| closing = 1 August 1970
| opened_by = Edward Heath
| stadium = Meadowbank Stadium
| previous = II Kingston
| next = IV Dunedin
}}
The Third Commonwealth Paraplegic Games was a multi-sport event that was held in Edinburgh, Scotland from 26 July to 1 August 1970. Dubbed the "little games", they followed the 1970 British Commonwealth Games which were held in Edinburgh from 16 to 25 July of that year.
Background and administration
The chairman of the Organising Committee was Lieutenant-Colonel John Fraser.{{cite news|title=Premier to open games for invalids|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=hpJAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=DaUMAAAAIBAJ&pg=2954%2C2343152 |newspaper=Glasgow Herald|date=11 April 1970 |accessdate=6 November 2016}} It was also known as the "little games" and the "Wheelchair Games".
Ceremonies
The Games were opened by the British Prime Minister Edward Heath. The opening ceremony was at Meadowbank stadium and was attended by a crowd of 2,000 people.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=45FAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=AKUMAAAAIBAJ&pg=4356%2C4732876 |title=Cheers and praise for the wheel-chair athletes |work=Glasgow Herald |date=27 July 1970 |page=16 |accessdate=6 November 2016}} The teams were led in by the hosts of the previous games, Jamaica. On behalf of all the competitors, James Laird, the Scottish team captain, took an oath. A message of support from the Provosts of 28 towns and cities across Scotland was read out, having been relayed from John o' Groats by runners from the Scottish Youth Clubs Association.
The games were closed by James MacKay, Lord Provost of the Edinburgh Corporation.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=hJFAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=-6QMAAAAIBAJ&pg=4319%2C356003 |title=Wheelchair athletes close Games on a proud note |newspaper=Glasgow Herald |date=3 August 1970 |page=16 |accessdate=6 November 2016}}
Participating teams
197 athletes from fourteen Commonwealth countries took part. Countries at this games that had not previously participated were Hong Kong, India, Malaysia, Malta and Uganda.
{{div col|colwidth=20em}}
- {{flagIOC2|AUS|1970 Commonwealth Paraplegic Games}}
- {{flagIOC2|CAN|1970 Commonwealth Paraplegic Games}}
- {{flagIOC2|ENG|1970 Commonwealth Paraplegic Games}}
- {{flagIOC2|HKG|1970 Commonwealth Paraplegic Games}}
- {{flagIOC2|IND|1970 Commonwealth Paraplegic Games}}
- {{flagIOC2|JAM|1970 Commonwealth Paraplegic Games}}
- {{flagIOC2|MAS|1970 Commonwealth Paraplegic Games}}
- {{flagIOC2|MLT|1970 Commonwealth Paraplegic Games}}
- {{flagIOC2|NZL|1970 Commonwealth Paraplegic Games}}
- {{flagIOC2|NIR|1970 Commonwealth Paraplegic Games}}
- {{flagIOC2|SCO|1970 Commonwealth Paraplegic Games}}
- {{flagIOC2|TRI|1970 Commonwealth Paraplegic Games}}
- {{flagIOC2|UGA|1970 Commonwealth Paraplegic Games}}
- {{flagIOC2|WAL|1970 Commonwealth Paraplegic Games}}
{{div col end}}
Sports
Venues
File:Meadowbank-track-and-field.jpg]]
The following were the venues for the games:
| class="wikitable"
!Venue !Sport |
| Games Village (RAF Turnhouse)
|Archery, Precision Javelin |
| Meadowbank Sports Complex
|All other sports including some archery |
| Royal Commonwealth Pool
|Swimming |
| Lochend Bowling Green
|Lawn Bowls |
| Redcraig Shooting Range
|Shooting |
Logistics
An athletes' village was located at Turnhouse, with accommodation provided free of charge to the athletes by the Ministry of Defence. The Edinburgh Corporation had supplied fourteen adapted buses, which volunteer drivers used to transport the athletes between venues during the games. Athletics events were held at Meadowbank stadium.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=5ZFAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=AKUMAAAAIBAJ&pg=1870%2C5026023 |title=Paraplegic games: Gold for Mercer |date=29 July 1970 |work=The Herald |page=7 |accessdate=1 December 2016}} Shooting events were held at Redcraigs shooting range in West Lothian.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=5JFAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=AKUMAAAAIBAJ&pg=3932%2C4808198 |title=Paraplegic games: Three gold medals for Scotland |date=28 July 1970 |work=The Herald |page=6 |accessdate=1 December 2016}} There was some criticism of the lack of day-to-day television coverage from the BBC and ITV broadcasters.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=g5FAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=-6QMAAAAIBAJ&pg=4611%2C150326 |title=Wheelchair Games attack on the B.B.C. |first=Dorothy-Grace |last=Elder |author-link=Dorothy-Grace Elder |date=1 August 1970 |work=The Herald |page=14 |accessdate=6 November 2016}}
Medal table
| class="wikitable"
! Nations !Gold !Silver !Bronze ! Total |
| {{Flag|England}}
|48 |32 |23 |103 |
| {{Flag|Australia}}
|29 |31 |39 |99 |
| {{Flag|Scotland}}
|27 |29 |21 |77 |
| {{Flag|Jamaica}}
|25 |14 |10 |49 |
| {{Flag|New Zealand}}
|12 |14 |4 |30 |
| {{Flag|Wales}}
|5 |6 |2 |13 |
| {{Flag|Ireland}}
|1 |2 |6 |9 |
| {{Flag|Uganda}}
|1 |1 |0 |2 |
| {{Flag|India}}
|1 |0 |0 |1 |
| {{Flagicon|Trinidad}} Trinidad and Tobago
|1 |0 |0 |1 |
| {{Flag|Malta}}
|0 |2 |2 |4 |
| {{Flag|Malaysia}}
|0 |1 |0 |1 |
| {{Flag|Canada}}
|0 |0 |0 |0 |
| {{Flag|British Hong Kong}}
|0 |0 |0 |0 |
| |150
|132 |107 |389 |
See also
Commonwealth Games hosted in Scotland:
References
{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}
{{Commonwealth Paraplegic Games years|state=autocollapse}}
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