Breaking away from the ‘big boys’? Jamaican and ‘White Commonwealth’ expectations at the 1966 British Empire & Commonwealth Games

Abstract

In 1966, Jamaica became the first nation outside of Britain and its former white dominions to host the Commonwealth Games. Jamaican officials anticipated that hosting the Games just four years after the nation achieved independence would provide the country with an unprecedented opportunity to announce itself to the world and secure valuable economic dividends. Recognising the importance of positive publicity, and the daunting task they faced, Jamaican authorities endeavoured to ensure that the Games were a success. Unfortunately, a number of vociferous officials, athletes and media commentators from the traditional host nations (the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada and New Zealand) were not shy when it came to sharing their views about the hosts' shortcomings. Such complaints expressed a consistent tone of disapproval with three main aspects of the Games: the extent to which they were able to sustain what was understood to be a traditional contribution to Commonwealth unity, the overall organisation of the competitions, and the state of the nation itself. These assessments also reveal a consistent sense of entitlement from the traditional host nations and highlight their sometimes alarmed responses to a changing political and athletic context in which Caribbean and African nations were becoming increasingly powerful.