Cornwall Commonwealth Games Association

The Cornwall Commonwealth Games Association (CCGA) is a pressure group, set up in a bid to have a team from Cornwall at future Commonwealth Games, as opposed to competing in the England team. It is not recognised as a Commonwealth Games Association, the constituent bodies of the worldwide Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF). An application to participate in the 2006 Commonwealth Games was refused by the Commonwealth Games Federation.
The campaign does however have the full support of many Cornish organisations including the Cornish political party Mebyon Kernow.
Background
The CCGA claims that Cornwall should be allowed to participate, in the same respect as England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Guernsey, Jersey and the Isle of Man. Cornwall is the only home Celtic nation which is not represented in the Commonwealth Games.
The CCGA needs no recognised madate, and if accepted into the CGF would be the supreme authority in selecting the team.It has no affliation with any of the sporting bodies in Cornwall or the UK, and does not have the support of any official sporting body. However it does have the support of many prominent Cornish sportspersons including former British and Irish Lions and Cornish rugby legend Brian 'Stack' Stevens.
However, Minister of Sport the Rt Hon Richard Caborn MP, stated that "participation in the Commonwealth Games is not a matter for the Government but falls within the remit of the Games Committee (CGF) who are the supreme authority in all matters affecting the Commonwealth Games".
Coverage of the campaign
Previously HRH Prince Charles had wished the Cornish Commonwealth Games Association's application the best of luck.
The campaign has received worldwide publicity, especially in Australia and has been covered across the UK media in the national newspapers and radio and on BBC 'Radio Five Live', Radio Cornwall, Pirate FM, BBC Radio Jersey.
Future activity
The Cornish CGA are now considering legal action for the right for Cornwall to participate in the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi, India, and in future Games.
Cornish sportspeople
The President of the CCGA is a former Cornish rugby player Brian 'Stack' Stevens, who won 83 Cornish caps and went on to represent the British and Irish Lions in Australia and New Zealand in 1971. If Cornwall did have a Commonwealth Team in 2006, then it would have had some success (this is based on these people choosing to represent Cornwall, rather than compete, as they have up to now for England). These athletes are either all originally born in Cornwall, or live there now:
*Nick Nieland- Men's Javelin- Gold Medal.
*Pinky Le Grelle- Women's Trap Shooting- Silver Medal.
*Jemma Simpson- Women's 800m- 6th Place.
*Cassie Patten - First ever women's Olympic open water 10km marathon 2008 - Bronze medal
*Annie Vernon - Quad Scull - Silver at the Beijing Olympics 2008, Quad Scull, Gold at the World Championships 2007.
Cornwall would be able to field a strong Cornish rugby union sevens team being able to draw from a wealth of Cornish ex-pat players from the Guinness Premiership such as Rob Thirlby and from the Cornish Pirates, Redruth R.F.C. and Launceston "Cornish All Blacks". Descendants of Cornish parents like the Zimbabwean Mountainbiker Warren Carne may also be eligible to represent Cornwall in the future should they choose to do so.

Main Menu

See Also

Main Menu