1986 Commonwealth Games#Rowing

Unlike the 1970 Games in Edinburgh, which were popular and successful, the 1986 Games are ill-famed for the wide political boycott connected with them and the resulting financial mismanagement.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2014/jul/22/commonwealth-games-1986-robert-maxwell|title=The forgotten story of … Robert Maxwell’s 1986 Commonwealth Games |work=The Guardian |date=22 July 2014 |first=Brian |last=Oliver |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170407091522/https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2014/jul/22/commonwealth-games-1986-robert-maxwell |archive-date=7 April 2017|url-status=live}}

In addition to the boycott, further controversy arose when it was revealed that through this much-reduced participation and the resultant decline in anticipated broadcasting and sponsorship revenues, the Organising Committee was facing a big financial black hole. The boycott ended any prospect of securing emergency government assistance. Businessman Robert Maxwell stepped in to offer funding, taking over as chairman; but although he promised to invest £2m, his contribution was just £250,000. On a budget of £14m, the Games opened with a deficit of £3m, which later grew to £4.3m, and instead of putting enough money into the event to save it, the new chairman of the Games asked creditors to forgo half the payment due to them to keep the event out of liquidation. The debt was finally paid off in 1989, with the city of Edinburgh losing approximately £500,000.{{cite web |url=http://news.scotsman.com/topics.cfm?tid=418&id=715212007 |title=Glasgow makes final call for 2014 Games - Athletics - Scotsman.com |publisher=News.scotsman.com |date=9 May 2007 |access-date=9 August 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070517171818/http://news.scotsman.com/topics.cfm?tid=418&id=715212007 |archive-date=17 May 2007 |url-status=live }}

Several athletes were excluded because they breached the amateurism rules, most notably lawn bowlers Phil Skoglund from New Zealand and Willie Wood from Scotland, both of whom have competed in subsequent Games.

Due to the boycott only 27 teams from across the Commonwealth were represented at the 1986 Games.

File:Commonwealth games 1986 countries map.PNG

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File:1986 Commonwealth Games (Edinburgh) boycotting countries (red).png

Thirty two of the eligible fifty nine countries (largely African, Asian and Caribbean states) boycotted the event because of the Thatcher government's policy of keeping Britain's sporting links with apartheid South Africa in preference to participating in the general sporting boycott of that country and the American-led boycott of the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow in protest of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. Consequently, Edinburgh 1986 witnessed the lowest turnout since Auckland 1950.{{cite web |url=http://www.insidethegames.biz/commonwealth-games/2014/16048-scottish-independence-referendum-will-increase-interest-in-glasgow-2014-it-is-claimed |title=Scottish independence referendum will increase interest in Glasgow 2014, it is claimed | Glasgow 2014 |publisher=insidethegames.biz |date=29 February 2012 |access-date=9 August 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120811024929/http://insidethegames.biz/commonwealth-games/2014/16048-scottish-independence-referendum-will-increase-interest-in-glasgow-2014-it-is-claimed |archive-date=11 August 2012 |url-status=live }} Bermuda was a particularly late withdrawal, as its athletes had appeared in the opening ceremony and in the opening day of competition before the Bermuda Olympic Association decided to formally withdraw.Fraser, Graham (25 April 2014). [https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/commonwealth-games/27165110 Glasgow 2014: The Bermuda boycott of 1986 that still hurts] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141111114123/http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/commonwealth-games/27165110 |date=11 November 2014 }}. BBC Sport. Retrieved on 2 November 2014.

File:Banner celebrating the University of Edinburgh Quartercentenary in 1986 that had been hanged on the wall of the Sports Hall during the 1986 Commonwealth Games.jpg

The theme of the opening ceremony celebrated the "Spirit of Youth" and included 6500 Scottish schoolchildren taking part in a series of large Mass Games-style Gymnastics routines. The theme song "Spirit of Youth" was written by Gerard Kenny. The ceremony began on the esplanade of Edinburgh Castle from which hundreds of schoolchildren ran down the Royal Mile, through Holyrood Park to Meadowbank Stadium.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpApjBcQONw|title=Power From Within – Commonwealth Games 1986 Opening Ceremony – YouTube|publisher=youtube.com|access-date=28 July 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160730035629/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpApjBcQONw|archive-date=30 July 2016|url-status=live}}

• Balgreen, (Bowls){{cite book |last1=Bell |first1=Daniel |title=Encyclopedia of international games |date=2003 |publisher=McFarland & Co |location=Jefferson, NC |isbn=0-7864-1026-4 |page=122}}
• Barry Buddon (Shooting){{cite web |title=Barry Buddon Training Centre from The Gazetteer for Scotland |url=https://www.scottish-places.info/features/featurefirst10503.html#:~:text=The%20shooting%20events%20for%20both,2014%2C%20Jen%20McIntosh%20(b. |website=www.scottish-places.info |access-date=22 October 2023 |language=en-gb}}
• Ingliston Centre (Boxing)
• Meadowbank Stadium (Badminton)
• Playhouse Theatre (Wrestling and weightlifting){{cite news |last1=Ducker |first1=Chris |title=Colossus of Oz fills the stage |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/904364529/?terms=%22Commonwealth%22%20%22Corsie%22&match=1 |access-date=22 October 2023 |work=Evening Post |date=30 July 1986 |language=en}}
• Royal Commonwealth Pool (Aquatics)
• Strathclyde Park, Glasgow (Rowing)

{{Medals table

| caption =

| host = SCO

| flag_template =

| event =

| team =

| gold_ENG = 52 | silver_ENG = 43 | bronze_ENG = 49

| gold_CAN = 51 | silver_CAN = 34 | bronze_CAN = 30

| gold_AUS = 40 | silver_AUS = 46 | bronze_AUS = 35

| gold_NZL = 8 | silver_NZL = 16 | bronze_NZL = 14

| gold_WAL = 6 | silver_WAL = 5 | bronze_WAL = 12

| gold_SCO = 3 | silver_SCO = 12 | bronze_SCO = 18 | host_SCO = yes

| gold_NIR = 2 | silver_NIR = 4 | bronze_NIR = 9

| gold_IOM = 1 | silver_IOM = 0 | bronze_IOM = 0

| gold_GUE = 0 | silver_GUE = 2 | bronze_GUE = 0

| gold_SWZ = 0 | silver_SWZ = 1 | bronze_SWZ = 0

| gold_HKG = 0 | silver_HKG = 0 | bronze_HKG = 3 | name_HKG = {{flagteam|HKG|1959}}

| gold_MAW = 0 | silver_MAW = 0 | bronze_MAW = 2 | name_MAW = {{flagteam|MAW|1964}}

| gold_BOT = 0 | silver_BOT = 0 | bronze_BOT = 1

| gold_JEY = 0 | silver_JEY = 0 | bronze_JEY = 1

| gold_SIN = 0 | silver_SIN = 0 | bronze_SIN = 1

}}

File:Commonwealth games medal, Scotland, 1986.jpg

File:Commemorative medal Front side, Scotland, 1986.jpg

{{Main|Aquatics at the 1986 Commonwealth Games}}

{{main|Athletics at the 1986 Commonwealth Games}}

{{main|Badminton at the 1986 Commonwealth Games}}

{{main|Lawn bowls at the 1986 Commonwealth Games}}

{{main|Boxing at the 1986 Commonwealth Games}}

Track

Road

{{main|Judo at the 1986 Commonwealth Games}}

Pistol

Rifle

Shotgun

• 1970 Commonwealth Games, held in Edinburgh
• 2014 Commonwealth Games, held in Glasgow.
• 2026 Commonwealth Games, to be held in Glasgow.

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.thecgf.com/ Commonwealth Games Official Site]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20070917163227/http://www.commonwealthgames.org.au/Templates/Games_PastGames_1986.htm 1986 Commonwealth Games] – Australian Commonwealth Games Association official website
• [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpApjBcQONw Video of the Opening Ceremony]

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{{Associations at the 1986 Commonwealth Games}}

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{{Sports at the 1986 Commonwealth Games}}{{Portal bar|Sports|1980s|Scotland}}

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