1986 Commonwealth Games

The 1986 Commonwealth Games were held in Edinburgh, Scotland, between 24 July and 2 August 1986. This was the second Commonwealth Games to be held in Edinburgh. 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.

The Games were commemorated on the UK's first-ever £2 circulating coin, which showed a Scottish thistle upon the St. Andrew's saltire design on the reverse side of the coin.

Organisation

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.

Controversies

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.

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.

Participating teams

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

File:Commonwealth games 1986 countries map.PNG

Participating Commonwealth countries and Territories

Participating Commonwealth countries and territories
Australia Bermuda Botswana Canada Cayman Islands Cook Islands England Falkland Islands Fiji Gibraltar Guernsey File:Flag of Hong Kong (1959–1997).svg Hong Kong Isle of Man Jersey Lesotho Malawi Maldives Malta Template:Flaglink Norfolk Island Northern Ireland Scotland (host) Singapore Template:Country data Swaziland Vanuatu Wales Western Samoa ^ Note: Bermuda withdrew from the games to join the boycott after the opening day of competition.
Debuting Commonwealth countries and territories
Norfolk Island Maldives

Boycott

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

1986 Commonwealth Games boycotting countries dark red

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. 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.

Opening ceremony

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

Banner celebrating the University of Edinburgh Quartercentenary in 1986

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.

Venues

• Balgreen, (Bowls)
• Barry Buddon (Shooting)
• Ingliston Centre (Boxing)
• Meadowbank Stadium (Badminton)
• Playhouse Theatre (Wrestling and weightlifting)
• Royal Commonwealth Pool (Aquatics)
• Strathclyde Park, Glasgow (Rowing)

Medals by country

Commonwealth games medal, Scotland, 1986

Commonwealth games medal, Scotland, 1986

Commemorative medal Front side, Scotland, 1986

Commemorative medal Front side

Medals by event

Boxing

Event	Gold	Silver	Bronze
Light Flyweight	Template:Flagathlete	Template:Flagathlete	Template:Flagathlete Template:Flagathlete
Flyweight	Template:Flagathlete	Template:Flagathlete	Template:Flagathlete Template:Flagathlete
Bantamweight	Template:Flagathlete	Template:Flagathlete	Template:Flagathlete Template:Flagathlete
Featherweight	Template:Flagathlete	Template:Flagathlete	Template:Flagathlete Template:Flagathlete
Lightweight	Template:Flagathlete	Template:Flagathlete	Template:Flagathlete Template:Flagathlete
Light Welterweight	Template:Flagathlete	Template:Flagathlete	Template:Flagathlete Template:Flagathlete
Welterweight	Template:Flagathlete	Template:Flagathlete	Template:Flagathlete Template:Flagathlete
Light Middleweight	Template:Flagathlete	Template:Flagathlete	Template:Flagathlete Template:Flagathlete
Middleweight	Template:Flagathlete	Template:Flagathlete	Template:Flagathlete Template:Flagathlete
Light Heavyweight	Template:Flagathlete	Template:Flagathlete	Template:Flagathlete
Heavyweight	Template:Flagathlete	Template:Flagathlete	Template:Flagathlete Template:Flagathlete
Super Heavyweight	Template:Flagathlete	Template:Flagathlete	Template:Flagathlete

Cycling

Track

Event	Gold		Silver		Bronze
Men
Time Trial	Template:Flagathlete	00:01:06	Template:Flagathlete	00:01:06	Template:Flagathlete	00:01:07
Sprint	Template:Flagathlete		Template:Flagathlete		Template:Flagathlete
Individual Pursuit	Template:Flagathlete	00:04:44	Template:Flagathlete	00:04:51	Template:Flagathlete	00:04:54
Team Pursuit	Glenn Clarke Brett Dutton Bill Hardy Wayne McCarney Dean Woods	00:04:27	Gary Anderson Russell Clune Stephen Swart Andrew Whitford	00:04:34	Chris Boardman Gary Coltman Rob Muzio Jon Walshaw Guy Rowland	overtaken
10 Miles (16 Kilometres) Scratch	Template:Flagathlete	00:19:41	Template:Flagathlete	00:19:41	Template:Flagathlete	00:19:41

Road

Event	Gold		Silver		Bronze
Men
Road Race	Template:Flagathlete	04:08:50	Template:Flagathlete	04:08:50	Template:Flagathlete	04:08:50
Team Time Trial	Alan Gornall Deno Davie Keith Reynolds Paul Curran	02:13:16	Blair Cox Graeme Miller Greg Fraine Paul Leitch	02:14:50	Alastair Irvine Cormac McCann Joseph Barr Martin Quinn	02:16:13

Rowing

Event	Gold		Silver		Bronze
Men
Single sculls	Steve Redgrave	7:28	Richard Powell	7:33	Eric Verdonk	7:39
Double sculls	Bruce Ford Pat Walter	6:19	Paul Reedy Brenton Terrell	6:21	Carl Smith Allan Whitwell	6:34
Coxless pair	Andy Holmes Steve Redgrave	6:40	Barrie Mabbott Ian Wright	6:43	Ewan Pearson David Riches	6:43
Coxless four	Grant Main Kevin Neufeld Paul Steele Pat Turner	6:01	Andrew Stevenson Shane O'Brien Neil Gibson Don Symon	6:01	Graham Faultless Richard Ireland Mostyn Field Humphry Hatton	6:06
Coxed four	Martin Cross Adam Clift Andy Holmes Steve Redgrave Adrian Ellison	6:08	Nigel Atherfold Chris White Greg Johnston Bruce Holden Andrew Bird	6:10	Mark Doyle James Galloway Mike McKay James Tomkins Dale Caterson	6:11
Eights	James Galloway Malcolm Batten Andrew Cooper Mike McKay Mark Doyle James Tomkins Ion Popa Steve Evans Dale Caterson	5:44	John Garrett John Maxey Jonathan Spencer-Jones Mark Buckingham Patrick Broughton Richard Stanhope Stephen Peel Terence Dillon Vaughan Thomas	5:46	Mike Burrell Neil Gibson Barrie Mabbott Shane O'Brien Andrew Stevenson Don Symon Carl Vincent Ian Wright Andy Hay (cox)	5:48
Lightweight single sculls	Peter Antonie	7:16	Peter Tattersall	7:27	Carl Smith	7:27
Lightweight coxless four	Christopher Bates Peter Haining Neil Staite Stuart Forbes	6:26	Simon Cook Brian Digby Merrick Howes Joseph Joyce	6:28	Dave Henry Brian Peaker Bob Thomas Ryan Tierney	6:36
Women
Single sculls	Stephanie Foster	7:43	Lisa Wright	7:49	Gillian Bond	7:53
Double sculls	Stephanie Foster Robin Clarke	7:22	Heather Clarke Lisa Robertson	7:49	Diane Prince Claire Parker	7:55
Coxless pair	Kathryn Barr Andrea Schreiner	7:35	Pauline Bird Flo Johnston	7:42	Catherine Hall Alison Smith	7:53
Coxed four	Tina Clarke Tricia Smith Lesley Thompson Jane Tregunno Jenny Wallinga	6:50	Deborah Bassett Susan Chapman-Popa Robyn Grey-Gardner Marilyn Kidd Kaylynn Fry	6:54	Joanne Gough Ann Callaway Kate Holroyd Trish Reid Alison Norrish	7:06
Eights	Annelies Voorthuis Deborah Bassett Vicki Spooner Margot Foster Marilyn Kidd Robyn Grey-Gardner Susan Chapman Urszula Anne Kay Kaylynn Fry	6:44	Pauline Bird Alison Bonner Ann Callaway Kate Grose Joanne Gough Kate Holroyd Flo Johnston Alison Norrish Trish Reid	6:46	Bronze medal not awarded
Lightweight single sculls	Adair Ferguson	7:45	Philippa Baker	7:46	Heather Hattin	7:52
Lightweight coxless four	Alexa Forbes Gillian Hodges Lin Clark Judith Burne	6:55	Deborah Clingeleffer Amanda Cross Virginia Lee Gayle Toogood	7:00	Anne Drost Marni Hamilton Marlene van der Horst Wendy Wiebe	7:01

Shooting

Pistol

Event	Gold		Silver		Bronze
Men/Open
50m Free Pistol	Template:Flagathlete	551	Template:Flagathlete Template:Flagathlete	549
50m Free Pistol – Pairs	Tom Guinn Claude Beaulieu	1099	Paul Leatherdale Richard Wang	1090	Phil Adams Bengt Sandström	1085
25m Centre-Fire Pistol	Template:Flagathlete	583	Template:Flagathlete	582	Template:Flagathlete	580
25m Centre-Fire Pistol – Pairs	Phil Adams Rod Hack	1165	Bob Northover Michael Cutler	1157	Rex Hamilton Barry O'Neale	1153
25m Rapid-Fire Pistol	Template:Flagathlete	591	Template:Flagathlete	588	Template:Flagathlete	585
25m Rapid-Fire Pistol – Pairs	Brian Girling Terry Turner	1169	Pat Murray Jack Mast	1152	Mark Howkins André Chevrefils	1150
10m Air Pistol	Template:Flagathlete	575	Template:Flagathlete	574	Template:Flagathlete	574
10m Air Pistol – Pairs	Paul Leatherdale Ian Reid	1143	Phil Adams Bruce Favell	1143	Greg Yelavich Barrie Wickins	1140

Rifle

Event	Gold		Silver		Bronze
Men/Open
50m Rifle Prone	Template:Flagathlete	599	Template:Flagathlete	598	Template:Flagathlete	597
50m Rifle Prone – Pairs	Michael Ashcroft Gale Stewart	1175	Donald Brook Alan Smith	1171	Terry Wakefield Colin Harris	1165
50m Rifle Three Positions	Template:Flagathlete	1170	Template:Flagathlete	1167	Template:Flagathlete	1150
50m Rifle Three Positions – Pairs	Malcolm Cooper Sarah Cooper	2278	Jean-François Sénécal Michael Dion	2276	Alister Allan Bill MacNeill	2241
Full Bore Rifle	Template:Flagathlete	396	Template:Flagathlete	396	Template:Flagathlete	395
Full Bore Rifle – Pairs	Bill Baldwin Alain Marion	583	James Corbett Stan Golinski	583	David Calvert Martin Millar	582
10m Air Rifle	Template:Flagathlete	588	Template:Flagathlete	583	Template:Flagathlete	582
10m Air Rifle – Pairs	Guy Lorion Sharon Bowes	1167	Wolfgang Jobst Anton Wurfel	1151	Malcolm Cooper Robert Smith	1146

Shotgun

Event	Gold		Silver		Bronze
Men/Open
Trap	Template:Flagathlete	195	Template:Flagathlete	192	Template:Flagathlete	192
Trap – Pairs	Peter Boden Ian Peel	185	Tom Hewitt Eamon Furphy	183	Terry Rumbel Domingo Diaz	183
Skeet	Template:Flagathlete	196	Template:Flagathlete	195	Template:Flagathlete	195
Skeet – Pairs	Joe Neville Ken Harman	195	Brian Gabriel Don Kwasyncia	193	John Woolley Jeff Farrell	189

Weightlifting

Event	Gold		Silver		Bronze
Men
Flyweight – Overall	Template:Flagathlete	212.5	Template:Flagathlete	185	Template:Flagathlete	177.5
Bantamweight – Overall	Template:Flagathlete	245	Template:Flagathlete	217.5	Template:Flagathlete	215
Featherweight – Overall	Template:Flagathlete	252.5	Template:Flagathlete	250	Template:Flagathlete	235
Lightweight – Overall	Template:Flagathlete	315	Template:Flagathlete	307.5	Template:Flagathlete	290
Middleweight – Overall	Template:Flagathlete	302.5	Template:Flagathlete	300	Template:Flagathlete	270
Light Heavyweight – Overall	Template:Flagathlete	350	Template:Flagathlete	325	Template:Flagathlete	317.5
Middle Heavyweight – Overall	Template:Flagathlete	350	Template:Flagathlete	342.5	Template:Flagathlete	340
Sub Heavyweight – Overall	Template:Flagathlete	360	Template:Flagathlete	332.5	Template:Flagathlete	327.5
Heavyweight – Overall	Template:Flagathlete	375	Template:Flagathlete	372.5	Template:Flagathlete	370
Super Heavyweight – Overall	Template:Flagathlete	392.5	Template:Flagathlete	347.5	Template:Flagathlete	342.5

Wrestling

Event	Gold	Silver	Bronze
Men
Light Flyweight	Template:Flagathlete	Template:Flagathlete	Template:Flagathlete
Flyweight	Template:Flagathlete	Template:Flagathlete	Template:Flagathlete
Bantamweight	Template:Flagathlete	Template:Flagathlete	Template:Flagathlete
Featherweight	Template:Flagathlete	Template:Flagathlete	Template:Flagathlete
Lightweight	Template:Flagathlete	Template:Flagathlete	Template:Flagathlete
Welterweight	Template:Flagathlete	Template:Flagathlete	Template:Flagathlete
Middleweight	Template:Flagathlete	Template:Flagathlete	Template:Flagathlete
Light Heavyweight	Template:Flagathlete	Template:Flagathlete	Template:Flagathlete
Heavyweight	Template:Flagathlete	Template:Flagathlete	Template:Flagathlete
Super Heavyweight	Template:Flagathlete	Template:Flagathlete	Template:Flagathlete

See also

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

External links

• Commonwealth Games Official Site
• 1986 Commonwealth Games – Australian Commonwealth Games Association official website
• Video of the Opening Ceremony

Preceded by Brisbane

Commonwealth Games Edinburgh XIII Commonwealth Games

Succeeded by Auckland