Glasgow was selected as the host city on 9 November 2007 during CGF General Assembly in Colombo, Sri Lanka, defeating Abuja, Nigeria. It was the largest multi-sport event ever held in Scotland with around 4,950 athletes from 71 different nations and territories competing in 18 different sports, outranking the 1970 and 1986 Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh. Over the last 10 years, however, Glasgow and Scotland had staged World, Commonwealth, European, or British events in all sports proposed for the 2014 Commonwealth Games, including the World Badminton Championships in 1997.[4]
The Games received acclaim for their organisation, attendance, and the public enthusiasm of the people of Scotland, with CGF chief executive Mike Hooper hailing them as "the standout games in the history of the movement".
Scotland was the first country to consider hosting the 2014 Commonwealth Games in 2004, with Scottish cities being invited by the
United Kingdom government and all main parties in the Scottish Parliament, formally announced Glasgow's intention to host the games on 16 August 2005.[10][11]
In March 2006, the bidding process began, with the Glasgow Bidding team presenting their case to the Commonwealth Games Federation at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, along with the other confirmed candidate cities; the Nigerian capital, Abuja and Halifax in Canada.[12] In October 2006, the first voting delegates arrived in Glasgow, to inspect the city's existing and proposed amenities and facilities. Glasgow announced on 16 January 2007, the 17 sports to be included should its bid be successful.[13] Halifax later withdrew its bid on 8 March 2007, following the withdrawal of funding from the municipal government.[14]
That left Abuja and Glasgow as the remaining bidders, with Abuja seen as a likely favourite due to the basis of its campaign that an African nation has never before hosted the Commonwealth Games.[15] The deadline for formal submission of bids to the Commonwealth Games Federation, in the form of a Candidate City File, was set for May 2007.[16] Both bids were highly recommended, though Glasgow's bid team had made use of extensive benchmarking against the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester and the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne and as a result, its bid was deemed technically superior according to the CGF Evaluation Report that was released in September 2007. The Commonwealth Games Evaluation Commission concluded that: "Glasgow has shown it has the ability to stage the 2014 Commonwealth Games to a standard which would continue to enhance the image and prestige of the Games." This put Glasgow ahead in terms of the technical comprehensiveness of its bid.[17]
The final decision on the host city of the 2014 Commonwealth Games was held in Colombo, Sri Lanka on 9 November 2007 at the Commonwealth Games Federation General Assembly, attended by all 71 Commonwealth Games member associations. Each bid city made a presentation to the General Assembly, the order of which was determined by drawing lots. Glasgow's delegation was led by Louise Martin, chair of the Commonwealth Games Council for Scotland, First Minister Alex Salmond, athlete Jamie Quarry and Leader of Glasgow City CouncilSteven Purcell. The presentation also included a promotional film narrated by Sean Connery.[18] Abuja's delegation was led by General Yakubu Gowon, head of the Abuja 2014 Commonwealth Games bid team.
The CGF members later voted for their preferred candidate in a secret ballot. As there were only two bids, the winner was announced by the CGF President, Mike Fennel, after the first round of voting, with the winner only requiring a simple majority. The results of the bidding process were as follows:
The Glasgow 2014 Organising Committee was responsible for organising and delivering the Games.
Commonwealth Games Scotland. The Glasgow City Council was responsible for delivering a number of the venues and lasting benefits from the Games for the city and people of Glasgow. The Scottish Government was the third organisation in the partnership and was the main funder of the Games.[21]Lord Robert Smith was the chairman of the Glasgow 2014 Organising Committee.[22]
Olympic standard 50 metre swimming pool, which was extensively upgraded, and a second 50-metre pool was added for the Games as a warm-up facility. The existing permanent seating capacity was increased by 1,000. Combined with additional temporary seating the venue had over 5,000 seats for the Games.[27]
The Athletes Village for the 2014 Commonwealth Games was situated on a 35-hectare (86-acre) site, in Dalmarnock, Glasgow.[37] The whole project was designed by RMJM.[38] Primarily the site was used as accommodation for the athletes competing in the games as well as team officials from every competing nation for the duration of the games. As well as accommodation, the athletes' village also housed a retail zone, dining hall, medical facilities, gym, religious centre and recreational spaces.[39]
Countdown
The countdown clock was unveiled at the
Glasgow Central Station on 10 March 2014 during the Commonwealth Day. The clock was sponsored by the Swiss watchmaker Longines. A special ceremony was organized for the clock inauguration at the station which was attended by the members of the organising committee of the Games and Scottish swimmer Michael Jamieson.[40][41]
Budget
The total budget for the Games was £575.6 million. This figure included £472.3 million for Glasgow 2014 and £90 million for security. The Glasgow 2014 budget of £472.3 million was made up of £372 million of public money with the remainder coming from commercial income generated through sponsorship, ticket sales, broadcasting rights and merchandise sales. The budget included contingency of £66.1 million, which was made up of a £42.3 million general contingency and £23.8 million special reserves. In February 2015, it was reported that the Games was delivered £35.5 million under budget.[42]
Ticketing
The first round of the Games ticket sales were from 19 August to 16 September 2013.[43] Over two-thirds of tickets sold were priced at £25 or less. The ticket price ranges for the opening ceremony and the closing ceremony were £40-£250 and £30-£200 respectively.[44][45] The 100m men's final event received over 100,000 applications which was the most of any event of the Games.[46] Boxing had the most expensive ticket of any sport in the Games whose category 1 tickets cost £120.[47] A total of 96% of tickets were sold.[48]Ticketmaster was the official ticket services provider of the Games.[49]
Medals
The medals for the Games were unveiled on 14 April 2014 at the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum in Glasgow.[50] The medals were designed and hand-crafted by the renowned jeweller Jonathan Boyd and a team of specialist jewellery-makers from the prestigious Glasgow School of Art.[51] The hand-turned quaichs gifted to winning athletes and the carved ceremonial podiums were all created from local woods by Glasgow-based artisan Paul Hodgkiss.[52] Scottish designer Kerry Nixon designed the medalbearers' dresses.[53]
The Queen's Baton was designed by the Glasgow based firm 4c Design.[55][56] The BBC provided coverage of the relay. Adventurer Mark Beaumont presented a series of documentaries filmed on the relay for BBC One Scotland, there were also weekly updates for BBC News and a BBC News website and blog written by Mark.[57]
Transport
The Glasgow Airport was used to welcome and depart the athletes and officials of the Games.[58] The main terminal building of the Glasgow Airport was upgraded at a cost of £17 million.[59]
During the games, spectators were encouraged to use the public transport, particularly for longer journeys as they make their way to the venues of the games. The Glasgow 2014 ticket included access to local public transport services (trains, buses and Subway) to and from the venue on the day of the event. In order to access those services, the spectators had to show the valid event ticket on request. The spectators were also encouraged to walk or use bicycles instead of motor vehicles to reach the venues in order to avoid traffic jam.[60]
The athletes were transported in minibuses or coaches, which used, where necessary, dedicated lanes – known as the Games Route Network – to ensure they were given priority over other traffic in a similar way buses are in bus lanes. These lanes formed part of a larger dedicated Games Route Network that was also used by the people working on the Games.[61]
Volunteering
Approximately 12,500 volunteers were hired for the Games[62] out of over 50,000 applicants which was more than the number who applied for Melbourne 2006 and Manchester 2002.[63] The army of volunteers enlisted to help during the Games were known as Clyde-siders.[64] The uniforms for the volunteers were created by the outdoor clothing manufacturer Trespass.[65]
Security
An integrated security team which involved Police Scotland, Glasgow 2014's Security team and private sector partners, was developed to manage the security and stewarding requirements for the Games.[66][67] More than 17,000 individuals were involved in this operation, where over 2,000 members were from the armed forces and the rest from the Police Scotland and 17 private sector companies.[68][69] The budget for the Games security was around £90 million.[70]
The programme, which included about 2,000 performers, featured
Prince Imran and the Queen. The display of the message concealed within the baton was delayed by a difficulty in opening the device. The Games were launched in partnership with UNICEF, to save and change children's lives. The unique partnership aimed "to use the power of sport to reach every child in Scotland and benefit children in every Commonwealth nation and territory." In the culmination of a groundbreaking partnership with UNICEF, the ceremony inspired millions to text donations to our shared 'Put Children First' campaign, which raised £3.5 million on the night and more than £5 million to date. The ceremony was directed by David Zolkwer with David Proctor (Executive Producer) and Sarah Gardiner (Creative Producer).[71]
Closing ceremony
Main article:
Prince Imran telling the crowd that the games were "pure dead brilliant", a local Glaswegian term. The games were officially closed and handed over to the Gold Coast for 2018, who began their own performance with Australian singer Jessica Mauboy. Kylie Minogue then performed a seven-hit songs set list, while the volunteer cast told the story of "a typical Glasgow night out". Her costume was designed by Jean Paul Gaultier and headpiece designed by millinery designer Lara Jensen. The show ended with Dougie MacLean performing Caledonia with the other performers, and a performance of "Auld Lang Syne". The closing ceremony was directed by David Zolkwer with David Proctor (Executive Producer) and Sarah Gardiner (Creative Producer).[72]
The Games
Participating Commonwealth Games Associations
There were 71 participating nations at the 2014 Commonwealth Games with approximately 4,950 competing athletes,[73] making it one of the largest Commonwealth Games staged to date. On 7 October 2013, The Gambia, having withdrawn from the Commonwealth five days earlier, confirmed that it would not be taking part in the Games.[74]
A total of 18 sports and 261 medal events were contested at the 2014 Commonwealth Games.[149]
A record 22
lawn bowls, swimming and weightlifting) and para track cycling was held for the very first time.[150]
synchronised swimming and Greco-Roman wrestling, while mountain biking also returned after the absence in Delhi.The number of Shooting medal events also dropped from 44 in 2010 to 19. Among new disciplines on the Commonwealth Games programme for the first time were the triathlon mixed relay event, more medal chances for women at shooting and the addition of women's boxing to the programme.[152][153]
Numbers in parentheses indicate the number of medal events contested in each sport.
Only the top ten successful nations are displayed here.
The ranking in this table is consistent with International Olympic Committee convention in its published medal tables. By default, the table is ordered by the number of gold medals the athletes from a nation have won (in this context, a "nation" is an entity represented by a Commonwealth Games Association). The number of silver medals is taken into consideration next and then the number of bronze medals. If nations are still tied, equal ranking is given and they are listed alphabetically by their three-letter country code.[154][155]
Two bronze medals were awarded in boxing, judo and wrestling, except for Women's freestyle 75 kg as only five competitors were entered in the event. Additionally, two bronze medals were awarded in the men's 100 m backstroke and women's pole vault as a result of a tie between two athletes. No bronze medal was awarded in the men's synchronized 10 metre platform as only four teams competed in the event. Therefore, the total number of bronze medals is greater than the total number of gold or silver medals.
Sunset + Vine Global Television Host Broadcasting Limited (SVGTV), a joint venture between Sunset + Vine, subsidiary of Tinopolis, a Wales-based television production group and Australia-based television production company, Global Television served as the host broadcaster of the Games.[156][157]
Marketing
Bid and interim logo
The interim logo for the Games was first used during Glasgow's bid, with the "Candidate City" section removed following 9 November 2007, when the bid was approved. The logo depicts two
Clyde Auditorium, one of Glasgow's most recognisable landmarks. The pattern, forming the Roman numerals XX, also represents the 20th edition of the Commonwealth Games. The text is more specifically Glaswegian, with its stylised Mackintosh
font.
A flag featuring the logo was used extensively during the bid process. The flag was flown above Merchant House in George Square daily.[158]
The full Games brand identity was developed by Glasgow design studio Tangent Graphic, the lead creative agency between 2010 and 2014. Tangent's first major project was the official sport Pictograms, launched on 23 July 2011, and they continued to deliver and influence every aspect of the Glasgow 2014 identity.[160][161] Tangent inherited the official logo which was designed by Marque Creative.[162] The logo was unveiled on Commonwealth Day, 8 March 2010.[163] It was inspired by three factors, time, data and measurement. Its rings are proportioned to represent the 20th Commonwealth Games, across 17 sports, over 11 days in 1 city. An animated version of the logo has also been produced.[164]
There is also a version of the logo in Scottish Gaelic. Arthur Cormack, the Chair of Bòrd na Gàidhlig, made the following official statement:
Bòrd na Gàidhlig welcomes the Gaelic version of the logo for the Glaschu 2014 Commonwealth Games and we have been happy to work with the Glaschu 2014 team in helping them develop their identity. Given the unique importance of Gaelic to Scotland and the many Scots in the diaspora throughout the Commonwealth, we believe it should be seen, heard and spoken as widely as possible.
Given the worldwide interest there will be in the Games when they take place in Glasgow, a city with a large number of Gaelic speakers, we believe they offer an exciting opportunity for Gaelic to be seen and, we hope, heard and appreciated in an international setting. We hope this is just the start; we wish the Games well and look forward to working further with Glaschu 2014 to enhance the status of Gaelic within this hugely significant event.[165]
The official website was built in phases, delivered by Dog Digital and Blonde.[166][167] The Scottish art firm Artpistol were commissioned by the Glasgow 2014 Organising Committee to paint a series of murals across Glasgow to help celebrate and promote the Games.[168]
The Big G
The Big G is a standalone stage-set that was situated in George Square, Glasgow. It was unveiled in May 2014; with Glasgow City Council leader Gordon Matheson commenting that it provided an “opportunity for everyone – residents, visitors and spectators – to be part of the Games”. British designing firm Evolve designed the Big G.[169]
Clyde, an anthropomorphic thistle named after the river which flows through the centre of Glasgow, was the official mascot of the 2014 Commonwealth Games. The mascot was designed by Beth Gilmour, who won a competition run by Glasgow 2014 for children to design the Mascot. Beth's drawing was then brought to life by digital agency Nerv, who turned it into a commercial character, created a full backstory, gave it a name – Clyde – and created a website for him. Clyde was finally revealed in a seven-minute animated film created by Nerv at a ceremony at BBC Scotland's headquarters in Glasgow. The organiser, Glasgow 2014, said the mascot's design was chosen because of its "Scottish symbolism and Glaswegian charm and likeability".[170]
25 life-size Clyde statues were erected at places of public interest across the city including the
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