2019 Island Games

2019 Island Games
Host  Gibraltar
Teams participating 24 islands
Athletes participating ≈2,000
Events 14 sports
Website gibraltar2019.com
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The XVIII Island Games (also known as the 2019 NatWest Island Games for sponsorship reasons) will be held in the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar between 6 and 12 July 2019. This will be the second time that the nation has hosted the games, the first being in 1995.

Controversially the games will not include cycling, football or volleyball which have been in all previous games since 1985 due to the lack of venues, instead replaced by tenpin bowling, judo and squash. Gibraltar's sports facilities will be greatly redeveloped throughout 2018. Cycling was subsequently included on the list of events on the Games official website, while the 2019 Inter Games Football Tournament was announced as a substitute for the lack of football.[1]

Host

The Faroe Islands were initially scheduled to stage the 2019 games, with the 2021 games taking place in Menorca, but in 2014 the hosts were swapped following issues with the Faroese facilities being ready in time.[2] Menorca then withdrew from hosting the 2019 games in July 2015 following a change in government.[3] After the Isle of Man and 2015 hosts Jersey confirmed that they would not apply as replacements,[3][4] Gibraltar announced in August their intention to host the games,[5] and were officially announced as hosts in April 2016.[6] Gibraltar has appointed an executive committee to manage the event.

On 2 May 2018 it was announced that Ynys Môn would hold an unofficial football tournament to replace the absence of the sport in the actual Games. Islands that are regulars to the Games are expected to attend.[7]

Participating islands

It is likely that 24 island entities of the IIGA, from Europe, South Atlantic and the Caribbean area, will compete in these Games.

Sports

Numbers in parentheses indicate the number of medal events contested in each sport.[8][9]

References

  1. ↑ North Wales Chronicle article announcing tournament
  2. ↑ "Guernsey to bid to host 2023 or 2025 Island Games". BBC Sport. BBC. 10 July 2014.
  3. 1 2 Law, James (6 July 2015). "Island Games: Menorca pull out of hosting 2019 event". BBC Sport. BBC. Retrieved 23 August 2016.
  4. ↑ Kneale, Dave (10 July 2015). "Isle of Man not in running to step in and host 2019 Island Games". Isle of Man Today. Retrieved 23 August 2016.
  5. ↑ "Island Games: Gibraltar bid to host 2019 competition". BBC Sport. BBC. 6 August 2015. Retrieved 23 August 2016.
  6. ↑ "Gib set for 2019 NatWest Island Games". Gibraltar Chronicle. 11 April 2016. Retrieved 23 August 2016.
  7. ↑ "Ynys Mon to host unofficial 2019 'Island Games' football tournament". BBC. 2 May 2018. Retrieved 11 May 2018.
  8. ↑ "2019 Island Games: Gibraltar axes football, cycling and volleyball". BBC. 20 October 2015.
  9. ↑ "Guernsey to host the 2021 Island Games". IIGA.
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