ABSTRACT
The Commonwealth Games are the most visible manifestation of the Commonwealth, a voluntary political association of states which has its roots in the British Empire. A feature of the Commonwealth is its continuing ability to respond to changing socio-political contexts, which has been achieved through self-written reflection, resulting in a deepening mandate to encompass a wide range of issues including democracy, governance, sustainability and youth. The chapter explores why the Commonwealth Games continues to be questioned in terms of its relevance and notes the responses of the Commonwealth Games Federation to the constantly evolving role of sport within international relations and its need for organisational change. The chapter concludes that because the Commonwealth covers approximately one third of the global population the Games, far from being a bygone relic, are being reinvented to not only reflect the development of the Commonwealth but to ensure their continued standing as an international sporting event in their own right.
