BIRMINGHAM (UNITED KINGDOM) – The Commonwealth Games are sometimes seen as a quirky relic in the modern sporting calender but former International Olympic Committee (IOC) marketing chief Michael Payne says they have consistently defied the doomsayers.
The 22nd edition of the Games opens in Birmingham on Thursday, bringing together around 5,000 athletes from 72 nations and territories — mostly former British colonies — to compete in 19 sports over 11 days.
Some track and field stars will be absent when the competition gets under way — just days after the end of the world championships in Eugene, Oregon.
But there will still be plenty of big names on show at the event, which…
