History-making 2022 Commonwealth Games a catalyst for positive change
Birmingham 2022 has set a new benchmark for Commonwealth sport. It was the first time more medals have been awarded to women than men, the largest ever integrated para programme and the most sustainable Commonwealth Games ever hosted.
The 2022 Commonwealth Games were the first Games to award more medals to women than men.
They were the largest-ever integrated programme of para sport with 43 nations and territories winning medals, equalling the record from Gold Coast 2018.
On the final day of the Commonwealth Games, Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) President Dame Louise Martin declared that the history-making Birmingham 2022 has been a catalyst for positive change.
Birmingham 2022 has set a new benchmark for Commonwealth sport. It was the first time more medals have been awarded to women than men, the largest ever integrated para programme and the most sustainable Commonwealth Games ever hosted. It was also the first major multi-sport event to be hosted with packed stadia and arenas since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Organised and delivered in just four and a half years, Birmingham 2022 transformed the city. Over 30,000 fans packed out the spectacular Alexander Stadium for 12 consecutive athletics sessions, while more than 1.5 million fans filled venues across the region for 11 days of competition, creating an electric atmosphere for athletes.
The Games will leave a lasting impact too. Some 40,000 jobs and volunteering opportunities have been created and £38million of investment to help those who need the most support to get physically active is in place. A further £21 million of government investment will help cement the profile of the city and region as a destination of choice which the Commonwealth Games platform has helped create.
CGF President Dame Louise Martin DBE said: “We are emerging from one of the most challenging periods in modern history, where the Covid-19 pandemic has kept us apart. Birmingham 2022 proved to be a special moment when we reunited when the power of sport to connect us came into sharp focus. Not only have we witnessed some iconic sporting moments, but we’ve also enjoyed the warmest of welcomes from the people of Birmingham, the West Midlands and beyond who have made the Games so much more than just a sporting competition. Birmingham has put on a Commonwealth Games unlike any we’ve seen before. The passionate support across all 19 sports created an atmosphere that spurred our Commonwealth athletes onto new heights. Thank you to Birmingham for everything you have done to welcome the Commonwealth with pride, humanity and open arms. What a bold, buzzing and brilliant city.”
Commonwealth Games Federation CEO, Katie Sadlier said: “The summer of 2022 will go down in history as a major moment for women’s sport. The Commonwealth Games can take great pride in the role it played in that as hockey, cricket and netball teams battled it out for gold on Super Sunday in front of packed stadia and arenas. The future is bright for Commonwealth sport, that is clear from the brilliant spectacle we’ve witnessed over the past 11 days. As the focus turns to Victoria 2026, the Commonwealth Sport Movement has emerged stronger than ever thanks to the outstanding contribution of Birmingham 2022.”
John Crabtree, Chair of Birmingham 2022, said: “The Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games has been an incredibly successful event, from the packed venues to the bustling city squares, from the warm welcome to the outpouring of pride and joy across the city and region. We were always confident that people across Birmingham and the West Midlands would embrace the Games, but the reaction has surpassed even our expectations.
“The success of Birmingham 2022 is down to the partners and supporters, but principally the thousands of people, our workforce, volunteers, and every spectator. The work starts now to ensure that the benefits of the ‘Games for Everyone’ reach far and wide.”
Commonwealth Games Minister Nigel Huddleston said: “It’s been a record-breaking Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. We’ve raised the bar on inclusivity and diversity with more women’s medals than men’s and the biggest para sport programme in the Games history. Our home nation athletes have made us all proud, cheered on by an army of 13,000 volunteers and some of the biggest crowds the city has ever seen with more than 1.5 million tickets sold. The Games truly have showcased the best of Birmingham and the West Midlands to the world.”
The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) is the organisation that is responsible for the direction and control of the Commonwealth Games, and for delivering on the vision of the Commonwealth Sports Movement: through sport, we build peaceful, sustainable, and prosperous communities across the Commonwealth.
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