Comhairle nan Eilean Siar

Western Isles Sports Boost

Athletes from the Western Isles will have the opportunity in future to take part in international competition following a successful campaign by Comhairle nan Eilean Siar to gain entry to the prestigious International Island Games. There are more competitors in the Island Games than in the Commonwealth Games and many athletes compete in both competitions.

The games are held every two years although the first tournament that competitors from the Western Isles will be able to take part in are the 2005 Games to be held in Shetland.

The Comhairle’s Chairman of Arts and Leisure, Cllr, Alasdair Macrae, said: “This is excellent news for the Western Isles and will provide wonderful opportunities for island athletes from a wide variey of sports to compete at a very high level. Taking part in these games will provide a boost to sports development across the Islands and I am delighted that the Comhairle has been successful in securing one of the available places in the Island Games Association. The Island Games will provide an ideal mechanism for our athletes to display their talents, increase experience in their chosen sport and develop skills and competitive edge”.

The International Island games is a major sports event created to provide the opportunity for island sports people to compete and enjoy international competition. The official body for the Games is the Island Games Association (IGA) which has a maximum of 25 member island associations. Recently two vacancies became available and the Comhairle and a range of other islands initially applied for membership. The criteria for entry was met on the promise of a new sports centre capable of hosting Regional Competitions. The Comhairle’s sustained lobbying campaign has paid off and two thirds majority vote at the Association’s Annual Conference signalled entry for the Western Isles.

The format of the Games includes a number of different competitive events and host countries can include a sport of local interest.

The 16 key sports recognised by the IGA are: Archery, Basketball, Golf, Judo, Swimming, Volleyball, Athletics, Bowling, Gymnastics, Sailing, Table-Tennis, Badminton, Cycling, Football, Shooting and Tennis.

The ‘inter-island’ games were first held in the Isle Of Man in 1985, with the intention of bringing together a number of small islands from different parts of the world in friendly competition as part of the Isle of Man’s Year of Sport. Following the success of the 1985 festival it was agreed to continue to hold the event every second year.

The other members of the Island Games Association are Aland, Alderney, Bermuda, Cayman, Falklands, Faroes, Froya, Gibralter, Gotland, Greenland, Guernsey, Hitra, Isle of Man, Isle of Wight, Jersey, Orkney, Prince Edward Island, Rhodes, Saamemaa, Sark, Shetland, St Helena and Ynys Mon.

The Comhairle’s sports development service working in partnership with Sports councils for Lewis and Harris and Uist and Barra, will co-ordinate the creation of a Western Isles Island Games Association. The Association will then oversee the development of squads for the 2005 Games in Shetland..

ENDS

Nigel Scott
Communications Officer
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar

Tel: 01851 709389 (Work)
Tel: 01851 706412 (Home)
Tel: 07884 236103 (Mobile)
email: nscott@cne-siar.gov.uk