A brief history of CGE
1930 - 1994
Until 1994, the administration of England’s participation at the Commonwealth Games was supported by a division of the British Olympic Association (BOA). The Commonwealth Games Council for England (CGCE) however then moved its administrative hub from the BOA offices and set up as an independent body to reflect the growing size and complexity of representing England’s interests at the Commonwealth Games. A separate strategy was required, complementary with but independent of the activities of the BOA.
CGCE consisted of a Council represented by all 27 sports eligible to take part in the Commonwealth Games and an executive team of four led by the Chairman and the Chief Executive. This team organised and led the England Team to the Commonwealth Games of 1998, 2002 and 2006, and to the Commonwealth Youth Games of 2000, 2004 and 2008.
Modernisation of CGE
By 2008 it was clear that the activities of CGCE had grown considerably in scale and scope, and were not being optimally served by the existing governance structure. It was therefore recommended by Sport England that a comprehensive review and overhaul should be undertaken in order to modernise the running of the organisation.
In 2008, following a publicly advertised interview process, Sir Andrew Foster was appointed as the new Chairman of CGCE and immediately set about modernising the organisation's governance structure.
A year later the decision was taken to dissolve the Council and to replace this with a Board. The Commonwealth Games Council for England was renamed Commonwealth Games England (CGE). The new Board of CGE boasts a number individuals who have been or are highly successful in their chosen fields and who bring to CGE a new level of dynamism and ambition.
In 2010, CGE refreshed and modernised the England Team brand. The team went to Delhi later that year with a proud, new modern lion as its emblem and the new “We Are England” strapline. A different anthem was also chosen by the English public to celebrate victory - Jerusalem replacing Land of Hope and Glory.
In the summer of 2014 Team England travelled to Scotland for the XXth Commonwealth Games. Team England's 426 athletes brought home a total of 174 medals, meaning Team England topped the medal table for the first time since 1986.
Following this success, CGE appointed new chairman Ian Metcalfe and appointed a number of new board members. For more about our board click here.
The organisation is now preparing for the next Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast in 2018 and two Youth Games in Samoa in September 2015 and St Lucia in 2017.
