MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Island Games: Isle of Mann Promise Biggest and Best Yet

With the ninth Island Games only nine weeks away, the sporting authorities in the Isle of Man are promising the biggest and best games ever.

The games, which are the principle international sporting event for the Falkland Islands, take place every two years, and have grown in popularity among maritime communities as diverse as the Cayman Islands in the Caribbean and St Helena in the Atlantic.

Speaking to the BBC World Service yesterday Brian Partington, the Chairman of the Isle of Man organising committee, said that 22 island communities will be present at the week-long sporting festival, which commences on 7 July. A total of 2,000 athletes will take part in sports as diverse as women's football, sailing, golf, athletics and shooting.

There have, however, been fears that the Island Games have grown so much in popularity that larger islands have queued up to join the organisation, including at least one, the Cayman Islands, that also competes in the Olympics. What was once a relatively low key and casual festival for very small islands has taken on a larger, more expensive and more serious profile.

Mr Partington was asked if the small original members, such as the Falklands, can still compete effectively and even host the games. He admitted that there are dangers that this might occur, but he said, "it is up to the international committee to decide how big the games should be." To limit growth, the committee has decided that there should be no more than 25 islands in the organisation, and member islands must have populations that do not exceed about 125,000 inhabitants.

The Isle of Man Chairman said that his island would be providing a sporting complex that cost (pounds) 20 million to build, but he said not all island hosts would be able to afford such facilities. Nevertheless, he was convinced that it remains important and possible for less sophisticated territories to host future Island Games.