Commonwealth Games Federation president re-elected

By James Tasamba

KIGALI, Rwanda (AA) - Dame Louise Martin was re-elected unopposed Thursday as Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) president for a second four-year term at the 2019 Commonwealth Games Federation General Assembly in Rwanda’s capital Kigali.

She was first elected in 2015, to become the first female to hold this office in the history of the Commonwealth Sports Movement.

Her election Thursday was marked by cheering with members applauding her past achievements in her first term.

Martin has a long and distinguished record 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 Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire by Her Majesty The Queen in the 2019 New Year Honors List.

"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," she said in a speech to the assembly.

"Like all families, we are defined by people, how we treat and respect each other and how we work together," she added.

She appealed to sports leaders to continue to deliver on the strategy outlined in the transformation 2022 refreshed strategy, noting that through sport peaceful, sustainable and prosperous communities across the Commonwealth are built.

In other positions, three CGF Vice-Presidents were elected: Kereyn Smith from New Zealand, Chris Jenkins from Wales and Bruce Robertson from Canada.

Three new regional vice-presidents were also elected to the executive board.

Judy Simons J.P from Bermuda was elected to represent the Americas, Asia is represented by Chris Chan from Singapore, while Europe is represented by Harry Murphy from Gibraltar.

Also re-elected were three regional vice-presidents: Zambia’s Miriam Moyo for Africa, Fortuna Belrose from Saint Lucia for Caribbean and Hugh Graham from Cook Islands for Oceania.

The assembly also elected members of the federation’s sports committee.

Nigeria’s Sani Ndanusa was elected for Africa, Canada’s Linda Cuthbert for Americas, Pakistan’s Syed Arif Hasan for Asia, Ephraim Penn from British Virgin Islands to represent Caribbean, Helen Phillips from Wales for Europe and Craig Phillips from Australia for Oceania.

In a statement, the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) said the General Assembly also approved a refreshed transformation 2022 strategy and deliberated on how to further evolve the Commonwealth Games Sports Program.

In addition, the new CGF brand and logo were formally showcased for the very first time, it said.

The General Assembly ran Sept. 3 - 5, the event also marking the 10-year anniversary of Rwanda joining the list of Commonwealth nations in 2009.

Around 300 delegates from 71 Commonwealth members attended the General Assembly.

It came a year ahead of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting to be convened in 2020 in Rwanda.

Rwanda is the newest member of the Commonwealth, and the second country after Mozambique to have joined the Commonwealth without historic links to the United Kingdom.

The Commonwealth Games Federation is responsible for the direction and control of the Commonwealth Games, and for delivering on the vision of the Commonwealth Sports Movement.