Spin-offs, split hosts, sporting hubs - New GIGA chair predicts Island Games evolution
The new Guernsey Island Games Association chairman believes that Games organisers will be forced to ‘look outside of the box’ in the not-too-distant future.
Jon Marley features on the latest Guernsey Press Sport Podcast after taking up the role, which is the culmination of his long Island Games involvement.
Marley’s Games bow came as a volleyball player in 1991. He has been heavily involved since, with his long playing career transitioning into 14 years as team manager, and therefore has seen plenty of change.
He is now conscious of how factors such as cost could impact how future Games are staged.
‘Hand on heart, I don’t think the Island Games will be the same as it is now in 10 years’ time,’ he said.
‘I think it will change somehow. How, I don’t know.’
Listen to the full interview with Jon Marley on this week’s Guernsey Press Sport Podcast
Although 18 sports feature under the Games umbrella, only 14 are hosted officially every two years.
Marley feels it is a ‘real shame’ four are left out each time.
Making unofficial Games alternatives, like the Ynys Mon 2019 football tournament, more official, is one possibility he has considered.
But he also highlighted a survey, involving multiple islands, that questioned the relevance of several sports.
‘Maybe you drop those sports, bring it down to 14, 16, that sort of area, and those sports are hosted every two years ... therefore, there’s no sport that will ever miss out. That’s got to be looked at.’
Otherwise, considering the cost of competing on islands, he has mooted a more drastic transformation involving the use of major city ‘hubs’.
‘You fly into Manchester, you fly into Stockholm, you fly into Madrid, somewhere, and all of the sports are hosted in the hub.
‘No longer an Island Games, but it ensures all sports are hosted each time.’
This comes alongside financial struggles for the Commonwealth Games.
In the worst-case scenario of the Commonwealths becoming unviable, he sees the Island Games being even more important for Guernsey sportspeople.
‘The hosts of two Commonwealth Games have both pulled out due to funding, which is why I think – do we need to become more professional? Because it is going to become a lot more relevant to our local sportspeople.
‘We massively punch above our weight. The amount of professional or semi-professional athletes we produce is brilliant – many of whom made their names at an Island Games, then a Commonwealth Games and then become Olympians or professionals.’
