Members of Legislative Assembly were collectively enthused about, “being a bit visionary,” regarding the idea of the Falklands hosting the 2033 Island Games, Falkland Islands Overseas Games Chair Mike Summers told Penguin News.
The Falklands' fishing company Argos is to be the Principal Sponsor for the local team competing at the Island Games to be held in Gibraltar in 2019. The announcement was made by the Falkland Islands Overseas Games Association, and Argos (Argos Group Ltd and Argos Ltd of Stanley, and Argos Operations Ltd of Gibraltar).
Wednesday marked the opening ceremony of the 21st Commonwealth Games which are being held from 4 -15 April at the Gold Coast in Australia. This is the tenth Commonwealth Games that the Falkland Islands have participated in and this time they will be competing alongside more than 6,600 athletes and team officials from 70 Commonwealth nations and territories.
The Commonwealth Games Queens Baton visits all 71 Commonwealth countries and territories on its journey from Buckingham Palace to the host city. In 2018 that is Gold Coast in Australia; one territory is missing from the relay, because it has not been possible to schedule St Helena this year. However several Saints saw and carried the baton in the Falkland Islands, so we have helped a little bit.
The Overseas Games Association received a generous £30,000 from fishing company Fortuna Ltd to be used to purchase sports kit for the competitors at this year’s Island Games in Gotland. Presenting the cheque Fiona Wallace said that as the wholly-Falkland Islander owned company was celebrating its 30th anniversary, it was felt appropriate to support a nationally significant event.
Three Falkland Islands sports clubs benefitted from the generosity of local business Argos Ltd with a donation of £25,000 via the Overseas Games Association (FIOGA).
Commonwealth Games take off in Glasgow, Scotland on Wednesday with the Falklands squad the largest the Islands have ever sent to the Games. Falklands will be competing in Badminton, Lawn Bowls and Shooting. The Games are estimated to have a global audience of 1.5 billion during the lavish opening ceremony.