Island Games | |
---|---|
Genre | Multi-sports event |
Frequency | Biennial |
Location(s) | Various |
Inaugurated | 1985 |
Most recent | 2023 Island Games |
Next event | 2025 Island Games |
Participants | ~ 2,000 |
Organised by | IIGA |
Sponsor | NatWest International |
Website | Official IIGA website |
The Island Games (currently known as the NatWest International Island Games for sponsorship reasons) are biennial international multi-sports events organised by the International Island Games Association (IIGA). Competitor teams each represent different island communities (with one team from the peninsula of Gibraltar) which are IIGA members. Currently, all competitor teams represent non-sovereign territories of European nations—some within European waters and some further overseas.
The most recent edition was the 2023, which took place in Guernsey with around 2,200 competitors from 24 islands or island groups participating in 14 sports. The next games will be hosted by Orkney in 2025.
The Island Games began in 1985 as the Inter-Island Games, as part of the Isle of Man International Year of Sport, and were intended to be a one-off sporting celebration only. Geoffrey Corlett, who became the first Games Director, not only contacted the islands surrounding the United Kingdom, but also encouraged the countries of Iceland and Malta, the territories of Faroe Islands, Greenland, Saint Helena, the Channel Islands and others to participate.
Initially, fifteen islands with 600 competitors and officials took part in seven sports, [1] with the total cost of staging the Games being put at £70,000. The track and field events were held on an eight-lane grass track, a far cry from the current games, which now use synthetic tracks in stadiums capable of holding thousands of spectators. The Games of 1985 were so successful that organisers decided to hold a similar event two years later. [2] The Games have grown from strength to strength, with limits now in place for the number of teams, and the number of sports at each Games, currently 12 to 14. Sark could be considered the most successful island, their population of 600 having acquired 20 medals by 2015, one for every 30 people.
NatWest International has been the main sponsor of the Games since 1999. In April 2018, they signed a deal extending their sponsorship until at least 2021. In 2020, Natwest International confirmed the Guernsey games, originally scheduled for 2021, but delayed to 2023, due to the COVID-19 pandemic would be the last tournament they would be sponsoring. [3] At the time the replacement sponsor had not been confirmed.
A traditional symbol of the games was started in 1991 when Åland asked all teams to bring some water from their islands, which was then mixed in a fountain. All future games has water from the previous fountain added to water from each island competing in the new games, creating a symbol of "mixing together". [4]
Year | Games | Host island | Numbers of participants | Athletes | Sports |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1985 | I | Isle of Man | 15 | 700 | 7 |
1987 | II | Guernsey | 18 | 1,049 | 9 |
1989 | III | Faroe Islands | 15 | 800 | 11 |
1991 | IV | Åland | 17 | 1,500 | 13 |
1993 | V | Isle of Wight | 19 | 1,448 | 14 |
1995 | VI | Gibraltar | 18 | 1,214 | 13 |
1997 | VII | Jersey | 20 | ~2,000 | 13 |
1999 | VIII | Gotland | 22 | 1,858 | 14 |
2001 | IX | Isle of Man | 22 | 2,020 | 15 |
2003 | X | Guernsey | 23 | 2,129 | 15 |
2005 | XI | Shetland | 24 | 1,658 | 14 |
2007 | XII | Rhodes [5] | 25 | 2,343 | 14 |
2009 | XIII | Åland | 24 | 2,286 | 14 |
2011 | XIV | Isle of Wight | 24 | 2,311 | 14 |
2013 | XV | Bermuda | 22 | 1,296 | 14 |
2015 | XVI | Jersey | 24 | 2,430 | 14 |
2017 | XVII | Gotland | 23 | 2,333 | 14 [6] |
2019 | XVIII | Gibraltar [7] [8] [9] | 22 | 1,700 | 14 [10] |
2021 | Postponed due to COVID-19 pandemic [11] [12] | ||||
2023 | XIX | Guernsey [13] [14] | 24 | 2,194 | 14 |
2025 | XX | Orkney [15] [14] | 13 | ||
2027 | XXI | Faroe Islands [16] [14] [17] | |||
2029 | XXII | Isle of Man [14] [18] | 14 |
Guernsey put in a bid for the 2021 Games following the Faroe Islands' withdrawal from hosting. [19] The bid was approved in July 2016. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2021 Games were cancelled and rescheduled for 2023 with Guernsey still as hosts, with future hosts pushed out by two years as well.
Orkney will host the 2025 Games. [20] They were awarded the right to host on 7 July 2018 at the AGM in Gibraltar.
The Isle of Man made an official bid to host the Island Games in 2029 in July 2023. [21]
In August 2018 it was reported that the Falkland Islands are considering hosting the Games in 2033. [22]
In December 2023 it was announced that the Faroe Islands would replace Ynys Môn as the hosts of the 2027 games due to funding having been directed to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Faroe Islands, who had submitted a bid for the 2031 games [23] , expressed a desire to host the games early, having previously guaranteed funding towards the games in 2018 [24] , and were selected as a replacement for Ynys Môn. [25]
A total of 28 islands, island groups or territories have participated in the Island Games; eleven of these have participated in every Island Games.
Every island has won at least 4 medals with Alderney the only island awaiting their first Gold.
Island(s) | Country (and status) | Population | Years | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Åland | Finland (autonomous province) | 28,666 | 1985– | 191 | 200 | 190.5 | 581.5 |
Alderney | United Kingdom [lower-alpha 1] (island; part of the crown dependency (Bailiwick) of Guernsey) | 1,900 | 1987, 1993– | 0 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
Bermuda | United Kingdom [lower-alpha 1] (overseas territory) | 64,200 | 2003– | 107 | 115 | 119 | 341 |
Cayman Islands | United Kingdom [lower-alpha 1] (overseas territory) | 56,700 | 1999– | 133 | 107 | 91 | 331 |
Falkland Islands | United Kingdom [lower-alpha 1] (overseas territory) | 2,900 | 1993– | 2 | 11 | 13 | 26 |
Faroe Islands | Denmark (autonomous territory) | 49,700 | 1985– | 269 | 255 | 301 | 825 |
Frøya | Norway (municipality island) [lower-alpha 2] | 4,300 | 1985– | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
Gibraltar | United Kingdom [lower-alpha 1] (overseas territory) | 30,000 | 1987– | 77.5 | 86.5 | 119 | 283 |
Gotland | Sweden (county) | 57,200 | 1985– | 336.5 | 245.5 | 252 | 834 |
Gozo | Malta (island) | 39,300 | 2023– | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
Greenland | Denmark (autonomous territory) | 56,081 | 1989– | 24 | 31 | 38.5 | 93.5 |
Guernsey | United Kingdom [lower-alpha 1] (island; part of the crown dependency (Bailiwick) of Guernsey) | 65,800 | 1985– | 536 | 549 | 534 | 1619 |
Hitra | Norway (municipality island) [lower-alpha 2] | 4,250 | 1985–1989, 1997– | 4 | 10 | 15 | 28 |
Isle of Man | United Kingdom [lower-alpha 1] (crown dependency) | 84,500 | 1985– | 530 | 495 | 460.5 | 1485.5 |
Isle of Wight | United Kingdom (English county) | 138,400 | 1985– | 203 | 208 | 220 | 621 |
Jersey | United Kingdom [lower-alpha 1] (crown dependency, Bailiwick) | 105,500 | 1985– | 634 | 625 | 560.3 | 1819.3 |
Menorca | Spain (island) | 94,400 | 2007– | 57 | 57 | 71 | 185 |
Orkney | United Kingdom (Scottish council area) | 21,300 | 1985– | 23 | 41 | 44 | 108 |
Saaremaa | Estonia (county) | 31,000 | 1991– | 126 | 129 | 101.5 | 356.5 |
Saint Helena | United Kingdom [lower-alpha 1] (overseas territory) | 4,250 | 1985–1987, 1997– | 3 | 3 | 5 | 11 |
Sark | United Kingdom [lower-alpha 1] (island part of the crown dependency of Guernsey) | 600 | 1987–2011, 2015– | 3 | 17 | 7 | 27 |
Shetland | United Kingdom (Scottish council area) | 23,200 | 1985– | 62 | 83 | 113 | 258 |
Western Isles | United Kingdom (Scottish council area) | 27,400 | 2005– | 28 | 26 | 27 | 81 |
Ynys Môn | United Kingdom (Welsh principal area) [lower-alpha 2] | 69,700 | 1985– | 43 | 42 | 57 | 142 |
Iceland | 329,000 | 1985–1997 | 50 | 45 | 40.7 | 135.7 | |
Malta | 445,000 | 1985–1987 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 10 | |
Prince Edward Island | Canada (province) | 140,000 | 1991–2007 | 6 | 6 | 9 | 21 |
Rhodes | Greece (island; Regional Unit (Περιφερειακή ενότητα)) | 115,500 | 1999–2011, 2015 | 53 | 52 | 45 | 150 |
Islands marked in grey are no longer members of the IIGA and so cannot compete at the Island Games.
Of the 24 current IIGA members, two (Bermuda and the Cayman Islands) have competed in their own right at the Olympic Games.
Bermuda, the Cayman Islands, the Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Guernsey, the Isle of Man, Jersey and St. Helena have each sent teams to the Commonwealth Games.
Islanders who have gone on to participate in Olympic Games events include:
The host country chooses between 12 and 14 different sports for their games from this list:
Sport | I | II | III | IV | V | VI | VII | VIII | IX | X | XI | XII | XIII | XIV | XV | XVI | XVII | XVIII | XIX | Total | XX | XXI | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Archery | 16 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Athletics | 19 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Badminton | 18 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Basketball | 11 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Bowls (Indoor‡, Lawn∞, or Ten Pin*) | ‡ | * | ‡ | * | ‡ | 5 | ∞ | ||||||||||||||||
Cycling | 18 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Football | 17 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Golf | 14 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Gymnastics | 12 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Judo | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Sailing (may include Sailboarding*) | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | 14 | ||||||||||||
Shooting | 19 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Squash | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Swimming | 19 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Table Tennis | 17 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Tennis | 15 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Triathlon | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Volleyball (may include Beach Volleyball*) | * | * | * | * | 18 | ||||||||||||||||||
Total sports | 7 | 9 | 11 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 13 |
Notably, the Island Games' football tournament is one of the most well-established tournaments of non-FIFA international football.
The International Island Games Association (IIGA) is the organising body for the Island Games, a friendly biennial multi-sport competition between teams from several European islands and other small territories. The IIGA liaises with the member island associations and with sponsors of the games. It investigates whether islands wanting to join fit the membership criteria.
Non-FIFA international football is the segment of international football that is not overseen by FIFA. FIFA is the international governing body of association football, overseeing football globally and with running international representative matches. However, some international football takes place outside its purview. This often consists of matches involving sub-national entities such as islands, colonies, or autonomous regions. Representative matches also occur involving states with limited international recognition who are unable to qualify for FIFA membership. There are also a limited number of states whose representative teams are not affiliated to FIFA. Historically, a number of competitions occurred outside FIFA's auspices. Member associations are national associations, usually affiliated to continental confederations which are subordinate to FIFA.
Football has been a regular event since 1989 at the Island Games, the biennial multi-sports event for island nations, territories and dependencies. A 5-a-side competition for under-16s was held at the inaugural event on the Isle of Man, and the success this minor competition brought to the games meant senior men's football was included on the itinerary for the first time in the Faroe Islands, in 1989. Women's football was included on the games' schedule for the first time in 2001.
The XIII Island Games were held in Åland, Finland, June 27-July 4, 2009. For the 13th edition of the Games, 25 teams competed in 14 different sports.
The XIV Island Games were a major international multi-sport event held from 25 June to 1 July 2011, in the Isle of Wight, England. A total of 2,306 athletes from 24 islands competed in 15 sports and 190 events. The 2011 Island Games were the second Island Games to be hosted by the Isle of Wight. Previously, the Isle of Wight hosted the 1993 Island Games.
The XV Island Games were held in Bermuda from 13 to 19 July 2013. Bermuda was selected to host the Games by default after Prince Edward Island withdrew from the International Island Games Association.
The XVI Island Games were held in Jersey, Channel Islands, from 27 June to 3 July 2015. This was the second time the island hosted the games, the first being in 1997.
The XVII Island Games were held in Gotland, Sweden, from 24 to 30 June 2017. This was the second time that the island hosted the Games, the first being in 1999.
Basketball is an event at the Island Games, the biennial multi-sports event for island nations, territories and dependencies.
Sailing is an event at the Island Games, the biennial multi-sports event for island nations, territories and dependencies.
Swimming is an event at the Island Games, the biennial multi-sports event for island nations, territories and dependencies. Swimming at the Island Games started in 1985 and has been a sport in the games on every occasion since then. Minimum age to compete is 13
The XVIII Island Games were held in the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar between 6 and 12 July 2019. This was the second time the territory hosted the Games, the first being in 1995.
The XIX Island Games were to have been held in Guernsey in 2021; however, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Games were postponed. This occasion will be the third time that the island would host the games, the first being in 1987, and the second in 2003.
The 2019 Inter Games Football Tournament was an association football tournament which was held between 15 and 22 June 2019 in Anglesey, Wales. It was organised due to the hosts of the 2019 Island Games, Gibraltar being unable to run a tournament due to lack of pitches. As football is one of the most popular sports at the games it was decided to hold the matches elsewhere, albeit with the results not officially part of the Island Games history.
This is a list of Greenland national football team results from 1980 to present.
Sailing, for the 2023 Island Games, held in St Peter Port, Guernsey in July 2023
Triathlon, for the 2023 Island Games, was held at Rocquaine Bay, Guernsey on 9 July and St Peter Port, Guernsey on 14 July 2023.
Golf, for the 2023 Island Games, was held at L'Ancresse Golf Course, Guernsey on 11 to 14 July 2023.
Cycling, for the 2023 Island Games, held in various locations around Guernsey in July 2023.
Badminton, for the 2023 Island Games, held at Beau Sejour Leisure Centre and St Sampson’s High School, Guernsey in July 2023.