Commonwealth Games Australia CEO Craig Phillips has been elected to the Commonwealth Games Federation Sports Committee and Dame Louise Martin DBE has been re-elected President for a second four-year term at the Federation’s General Assembly in Kigali, Rwanda.
Dame Louise (Scotland) was re-elected by acclamation by delegates at the Kigali Convention Centre four years after she took up the role in 2015, when she became the first female to hold this office in the history of the Commonwealth Sports Movement.
She has a long and distinguished association with the Games as an athlete – swimming for Team Scotland at the Perth 1962 Commonwealth Games – and thereafter as Team Manager, Administrator and Honorary Secretary.
She was appointed a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire by Her Majesty The Queen in the 2019 New Year Honours List.
The quadrennial elections saw three CGF Vice-Presidents elected: Kereyn Smith (New Zealand) Chris Jenkins (Wales) and Bruce Robertson (Canada).
Three new Regional Vice-Presidents were also elected to the Executive Board: Americas with Judy Simons J.P (Bermuda), Asia with Chris Chan (Singapore) and Europe with Harry Murphy (Gibraltar).
The three other Regional Vice-Presidents were all re-elected: Africa with Miriam Moyo (Zambia), Caribbean with Fortuna Belrose (Saint Lucia) and Oceania with Hugh Graham (Cook Islands).
Elections also took place for every position on the Sports Committee: Africa electing Sani Ndanusa (Nigeria), Americas electing Linda Cuthbert (Canada), Asia electing Lt. Gen. Syed Arif Hasan (Pakistan), Caribbean electing Ephraim Penn (British Virgin Islands), Europe electing Helen Phillips (Wales) and Oceania electing Craig Phillips (Australia).
In addition to the elections, the General Assembly saw the approval of a refreshed Transformation 2022 strategy and the continued evolution of the CGF’s Governance and Regulations.
Deliberations took place to further evolve the Commonwealth Games Sports Programme while the new CGF Brand and Logo was formally showcased for the very first time.
Speaking at the General Assembly, CGF President Dame Louise Martin DBE said: “Looking back over the last quadrennial, I am overwhelmed by a sense of pride from our collective achievements, at the endeavors of Commonwealth athletes, at the success of our flagship events and how we have adapted and responded to challenges as well as harnessed opportunities.
“Like all families, we are defined by people, how we treat and respect each other and how we work together.
“Let’s continue to deliver on the strategy outlined in the Transformation 2022 Refresh and enjoy this journey as through sport, we build peaceful, sustainable and prosperous communities across the Commonwealth.”
The General Assembly took place at the flagship Kigali Convention Centre with the event marking the ten-year anniversary of Rwanda joining the list of Commonwealth nations in 2009.
It was staged a year before the country hosts the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in 2020 with Commonwealth Secretary General the Rt Hon Patricia Scotland QC in attendance where she delivered a formal address to the Assembly.
Rwanda itself is the newest member of the Commonwealth, and the second country (as well as Mozambique) in the Commonwealth without historic UK ties.
A list of the newly elected Executive Board and Sport Committee is below:
President:
Dame Louise Martin DBE (Scotland)
Vice Presidents:
Bruce Robertson CM, CPA, CITP (Canada)
Kereyn Smith MNZM (New Zealand)
Chris Jenkins (Wales)
Regional Vice President (One position per region):
Africa: Miriam Moyo (Zambia)
Americas: Simons J.P (Bermuda)
Asia: Chris Chan (Singapore)
Caribbean: Fortuna Belrose (Saint Lucia)
Europe: Harry Murphy MBA (Gibraltar)
Oceania: Hugh Graham (Cook Islands)
Sport Committee (One position per region):
Africa: Sani Ndusa (Nigeria)
Americas: Linda Cuthbert (Canada)
Asia: Lt Gen Retired Sayid Arif Hasan (Pakistan)
Caribbean: Ephraim Penn (British Virgin Islands)
Europe: Helen Phillips MBE (Wales)
Oceania: Craig Phillips (Australia)
