HOST: Indian Olympic Association and Government of India
OFFICIAL WEBSITE: www.cwgdelhi2010.org

ORISSA COMPETITORS IN FRAY: Anuradha Biswal, Srabani Nanda, Jauna Murmu (all athletics); Prabodh Tirkey (hockey, men); Subhadra Pradhan, Binita Toppo, Muktaprava Barla (all women hockey); Rakesh Kumar Patra (gymnastics); Bikash Jena (rugby); K Ravi Kumar (weightlifting).

COMPETITION SCHEDULE:

Opening Ceremony: JN Stadium, October 3. Closing Ceremony: JN Stadium October 14

AQUATICS:
Diving: Dr SPM Swimming Complex, October 10-13. Swimming: Dr SPM Swimming Complex, October 4-9. Synchronised Swimming: Dr SPM Swimming Complex, October 6-7.

ARCHERY: Yamuna Sports Complex, October 4-10

ATHLETICS:
Track & Field: JN Stadium, October 6-12. Marathon: JN Stadium/Marathon Course, October 14. Walking: JN Stadium, October 9

BADMINTON: Siri Fort Sports Complex, October 4-14

BOXING: Talkatora Indoor Stadium, October 5-11 and 13

CYCLING:
Track: IG Sports Complex, October 5-8. Road Mass Start: Venue not known, October 10. Road Time Trials: Noida Highway Express Road, October 13.

GYMNASTICS:
Artistic: IG Sports Complex, October 4-8. Rhythmic: IG Sports Complex, October 12-14.

HOCKEY: Maj Dhyan Chand National Stadium, October 4-14

LAWN BOWLS: JN Sports Complex, October 4-13

NETBALL: Thyagaraj Sports Complex, October 4-12 and 14

RUGBY SEVENS: Delhi University, October 11-12

SHOOTING:
Clay Target: Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range, October 6-13. Full Bore: CRPF Campus, Kadarpur, October 9-13. Pistol and Small Bore: Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range, October 5-13.

SQUASH: Siri Fort Sports Complex, October 4-13

TABLE TENNIS: Yamuna Sports Complex, October 4-14

TENNIS: RK Khanna Tennis Stadium, October 4-10

WEIGHTLIFTING: JN Sports Complex, October 4-12

WRESTLING: IG Sports Complex, October 5-10
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HISTORY OF COMMONWEALTH GAMES:

Commonwealth Games Movement

The three core values of the Commonwealth Games movement are Humanity, Equality and Destiny, which were adopted by the Games movement in 2001. These values inspire and unite millions of people and symbolise the broad mandate for holding the Games within the Commonwealth.

A sporting contest that brought together members of the British Empire was first proposed by Reverend Ashley Cooper when he suggested a Pan-Britannic, Pan-Anglican Contest and Festival every four years to foster goodwill and understanding within the Empire. In 1928, a key Canadian athlete, Bobby Robinson, was given the responsibility of organising the first British Empire Games, which culminated in the first-ever Commonwealth Games being held in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, in 1930.  These first Games saw the participation of 400 athletes from 11 countries.

Since then 18 Commonwealth Games have been held every four years, except during World War II (1942 and 1946). Initially the Games were known as the British Empire and Commonwealth Games, then as British Commonwealth Games and simply as the Commonwealth Games since 1978. But more than that, they have always been known as the ‘Friendly Games’.

There are currently 53 members of the Commonwealth of Nations, and 71 teams participate in the Games. The four constituent countries of the United Kingdom - England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland - send separate teams to the Commonwealth Games, and individual teams are also sent from the British Crown dependencies - Guernsey, Jersey and the Isle of Man - and many of the British overseas territories. The Australian external territory of Norfolk Island also sends its own team, as do the Cook Islands and Niue, two non-sovereign states in free association with New Zealand.

The Games have evolved and changed over the years. Only single competition games were featured until team sports were introduced in 1998 and continue to be featured since then; a fully inclusive sports programme for Elite Athletes with a Disability (EAD) was first introduced in 2002 and has become an integral part of the Games; since 2004 Commonwealth Youth Games have been organised regularly for athletes of 18 years of age.

For more information on the Commonwealth Games, log onto http://thecgf.com/games/story.asp