Commonwealth Secretary General, Shirley Botchwey has called on member countries to recognise sport as a strategic investment in development, saying it can help address health, inequality, economic and social challenges across the Commonwealth.
Opening the 12th Commonwealth Sports Ministers Meeting in Glasgow, Botchwey said the gathering came at an important time as the city prepares to host the 2026 Commonwealth Games.
“Your presence reflects the importance we collectively attach to sport – not simply as competition or entertainment, but as a powerful force for development, resilience and prosperity, she told Ministers.
She said the Commonwealth Games represented more than sporting competition.
“They are, of course, a celebration of extraordinary athletic achievement.
“But they are also something more enduring: a celebration of friendship, respect and the values that unite our family of nations.”
“The Commonwealth Games are unique. They bring together nations large and small, from every region of our Commonwealth, not simply to compete, but to belong,” she said.
Botchwey said ministers also had a responsibility to examine how sport could improve the lives of people across the Commonwealth.
“Yet before the first race is run or the first medal is awarded, we have an equally important responsibility. To ask how sport can improve the lives of the 2.7 billion people of the Commonwealth. That is the purpose of this meeting.”
She said this year’s theme, “Reimagining the Power of Sport towards Healthier, Fairer and Equitable Commonwealth Communities,” reflected the challenges facing member countries.
“Public health systems are under pressure. Inequality persists. Economic uncertainty affects livelihoods. Climate change is disrupting communities. And the aspirations of our predominantly young population continue to grow.
“These challenges demand practical solutions. Sport is one of them,” she said.
Botchwey said governments should view sport as an investment that delivers broad social and economic benefits.
“When we invest in sport, we are not investing only in medals or major events. We are investing in healthier populations. In more confident young people. In safer and more inclusive communities. In stronger local economies.
“That is why sport should never be viewed as the responsibility of one ministry alone. It is a strategic national investment that contributes to health, education, economic development, youth empowerment, gender equality, social cohesion and international cooperation,” Botchwey said.
She said ministers would discuss governance, athlete safeguarding, opportunities for women and girls, the economic potential of sport, cooperation through the Commonwealth Advisory Body on Sport and the future of the Commonwealth Games.
Botchwey also highlighted the signing of the International Working Group on Women and Sport Declaration during the meeting.
“That spirit of collaboration is reflected in today’s programme, including the signing of the International Working Group on Women and Sport Declaration, reaffirming our shared commitment to advancing gender equality across the sporting landscape. It is another example of the Commonwealth turning shared values into practical action,” she said.
Botchwey said more than 60 percent of Commonwealth citizens were under the age of 30, making sport an important pathway for young people.
“For many young people, sport is their first experience of leadership. Their first experience of teamwork. Their first opportunity to discover confidence, resilience and purpose.
“When we widen access to sport, we widen access to opportunity itself. We strengthen the ties that bind our communities. That is an investment whose returns last a lifetime,” she said.
Botchwey said the outcomes of the meeting would also help shape discussions ahead of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Antigua and Barbuda later this year.
“As Glasgow prepares to welcome the Commonwealth once again, let us ensure these Games leave more than unforgettable sporting moments. Let them also leave a renewed determination to harness the extraordinary power of sport to build healthier, fairer and more prosperous Commonwealth communities,” she said.
