The ninth Commonwealth Debate on Sport and Sustainable Development took place in London recently ahead of the UN’s annual International Day of Sport for Development and Peace (6th April).

The motion for this year’s debate was ‘Preserving traditional games honours cultural identity but is a distraction from the future-focused demands of modern sports’, with two teams arguing for and against the motion.

Both sides agreed that sport has tremendous potential to unite and inspire communities. In a closely fought contest, and following a lengthy deliberation, the judges agreed that the team in favour of modern sports were the debate winners. 

In one of her final appearances as the sixth Commonwealth Secretary-General, the Rt Hon Patricia Scotland KC, praised the role that sport plays across the 56 member countries of the Commonwealth. 

She commented: “Sport, as we know, is far more than competition and medals. It is a force for unity, empowerment, and transformation. Across our 56 member states, from the sunlit cricket grounds of the Caribbean to the rugby fields of the Pacific, sport is a language understood by all.  

“It builds bridges across cultures, strengthens communities, and provides a platform for leadership and opportunity—particularly for young people.”

Summing up for the winning team in favour of modern sports, former Paralympic world champion Stef Reid said: “Kids have grown up in a different world than we did, and we are fighting with all sorts for their attention. Modern sports like e-games meet them where they are at, and it honours the world they grew up in and in ensures we do not lose them. 

“Sport does a lot of good things for society, but it can only do those things if it meets people where they are at. And modernisation is necessary to reach people because it keeps sport relevant and accessible.” 

Read the full story and watch the video.

This story supports these goals and missions: