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Commonwealth Games Closing Ceremony slammed by fans, media

CHANNEL 7 presenter Mel McLaughlin joined Jo Griggs in bashing a ceremony disaster which saw athletes brutally snubbed.

James Matthey, Tyson Otto and Alex Blair
17 min read
April 16, 2018 - 8:38AM
Channel 7 hosts Johanna Griggs and Basil Zempilas' extraordinary on-air spray

Commonwealth Games day 11

The Commonwealth Games have ended in controversy with fans and media blasting the Closing Ceremony.

THE Commonwealth Games has officially ended in a storm of controversy with Channel 7 hosts Basil Zempilas and Jo Griggs savaging organisers of the Closing Ceremony in a heated live TV spray.

The pair slammed the lack of athletes involved in the production as over two hours of entertainment rang out through an increasingly empty Carrara Stadium.

Athletes were spotted leaving the venue in droves as the dismal celebration played out, disappointingly capping off the enthralling fortnight of the Games in lacklustre fashion.

6.50am

Peter Beattie responds to Closing Ceremony flop

The chair of the Commonwealth Games Peter Beattie has responded to criticism of the Closing Ceremony last night, saying, “We got that wrong.”

11.15pm

Closing Ceremony flop savaged

Channel 7 hosts Basil Zempilas and Jo Griggs blasted Commonwealth Games organisers for a massive slip-up in not showing footage of athletes during the Closing Ceremony.

The furious pair said they had “never seen a stadium as empty as this”.

Zempilas and Griggs slammed Birmingham’s lengthy section spruiking their turn to host the 2022 Games, an entertainment piece featuring slam poetry and English pop hits.

“They were way too long,” Zempilas said, “and a little self-indulgent. It was not necessary.”

Seven commentator Mel McLaughlin agreed with her colleagues’ spray at the event.

“One thing I love is that you’re not always able to be as honest as you like on TV. Those two did not miss, and rightfully so,” she said. “It’s what the punters are thinking at home ... it’s a huge celebration.

“The athletes want to relax, they want to party, they want to be on show ... Jo was filthy and she had every right to be.”

8.45pm

Athletes, Anthony Callea ditch ‘boring’ Ceremony

Usain Bolt and big fluffy mascots, what’s not to love?
Usain Bolt and big fluffy mascots, what’s not to love?

An emotional duet by Aussie singers Archie Roach and Amy Shark wasn’t enough to keep some Australian athletes in their place at the Commonwealth Games Closing Ceremony as basketballers Jenna O’Hea and Alice Kunek left Carrara Stadium.

“We’re going back to the village, it’s a bit boring,” Kunek said.

Thousands of seats sat empty at the Gold Coast venue as the night’s celebration of the exhilarating fortnight unfolded.

“Between spectators, workforce, athletes and performers, over 30,000 people will attend this evening off the back of large crowds out today supporting the marathon, rugby sevens, netball, and basketball,” a GOLDOC spokesman said.

Former Australian Idol contestant Anthony Callea, who performed on the night, was seen leaving the stadium mid-Ceremony.

Scottish boxer Vicky Glover joined Australian athletes in bailing on the night, telling the Gold Coast Bulletin they’d be hitting the town.

“We’re going to get on it!” she said.

6.30pm

Protesters set to cause ‘havoc’ at Closing Ceremony

TWO buses and 15 cars of protesters are preparing to make their voices heard outside the Commonwealth Games Closing Ceremony at Carrara Stadium.

A group of protesters holding “Stolenwealth Games” banners threatened to overshadow the Opening Ceremony almost two weeks ago.

A group of protesters clashed with police outside the Gold Coast stadium during the opening ceremony.

The same group of people are reportedly set to again make a stand at the stadium on Sunday night.

It follows two weeks of indigenous activist protests across the Gold Coast, including an attempt to disrupt Channel 7’s Sunrise broadcast.

The Gold Coast Bulletin reports the group plan to continue their demonstration at the Closing Ceremony.

According to reports a column of 100 police will be monitoring the protest out the front of the stadium.

6pm

Bumgate star confirms cheeky offer

Her bare butt made headlines around the world — and now flashing phenomenon Georgia Lear has confirmed her iconic Opening Ceremony flash is finally paying off for her.

The 19-year-old revealed last week she’d received a cheeky offer of free undies in the aftermath of her highly publicised bum flash during the Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony at Carrara Stadium.

She revealed to Channel 7 on Sunday that she’s since received a package of free undies, reportedly from company Fresh Sets — which reached out to Lear on Instagram.

Lear became an international sensation when halfway through a Ricki-Lee Coulter song, the camera flashed to a group of dancers as they flung their towels over their backs, but one dancer’s towel got tangled as she ran into a swarm of performers, exposing her bottom to an estimated 1.5 billion viewers.

“Last night I was feeling really BUMMED ... BUTT that’s all BEHIND me now,” Lear wrote on her Instagram page.

“I hope you all had a CRACKING good time watching the ceremony. Don’t forget the camera adds 5kg, yes it was me!”

She told the ABC last week her wild ride hadn’t been all bad.

“I’ve had no commercial offers. But I’ve had a comment on my Instagram from an underwear shop saying if I need any underwear they’re the place to go to … a girl can never have too many undies — I might hit them up,” Lear said.

3.40pm

Fearnley confirmed as flag-bearer

Aussie legend Kurt Fearnley has been confirmed as Australia’s flag bearer for the Closing Ceremony on Sunday night.

The 37-year-old Aussie legend capped off his emotional farewell to international competition with a fairytale gold medal in the men’s T54 marathon on Sunday morning.

Fearnley has been one of the most talked about figures at the Gold Coast Games after he delivered a heartfelt speech about inclusion in Australia following his silver medal in the men’s T54 1500m event at Carrara Stadium.

Fearnley was picked ahead of five-time gold medallist Mitch Larkin and superstar sister act Cate and Bronte Campbell.

Aussie hockey legend Mark Knowles had led Australia into the stadium in the opening ceremony.

2.30pm

Stunning upset ruins Australia

After going down to the wire, England take gold.
After going down to the wire, England take gold.

England has beaten Australia in the netball final in an extraordinary heart-stopper that was only settled after the clock hit zero.

In wild scenes on the Gold Coast, England took gold with a goal that dropped after the clock had run down.

Australia had levelled at 51-51 with just 19 seconds remaining only for England to have one final attack to make history.

England’s shooters missed two shots at the death with the wild crowd believing the game was heading for extra time.

However, Australia was penalised for obstruction on the final shot, allowing the English goal attack a shot after the final siren to break Australian hearts.

She nailed it.

There was absolute disbelief across the Aussie bench.

It was the first time a team other than Australia or New Zealand had ever won the gold medal in netball.

“Oh my goodness, the entire nation in disbelief,” a Channel 7 commentator said.

“I’m in tears. So much disappointment for the Diamonds.”

“This is just extraordinary stuff ... what an extraordinary moment this is.”

Aussie netball legend Cath Cox was also calling the game for the network and said “I’m in tears” as the English went nuts.

“I’m still sitting here in a little bit of disbelief,” she added.

It’s party time.
It’s party time.

Australia surrendered the lead late in the fourth quarter on the back of a centre pass error where Kimberley Ravaillion was penalised for passing outside the centre circle.

“Absolutely critical error, she was not inside the centre circle,” Cox said.

“That’s a coach killer. You hope that is not going to be the moment for the Australian Diamonds.”

Former England netball captain Sara Bayman told the BBC the netball world has been shaken by the result.

“I don’t have any words,” she said. “What just happened? England, four down, they clawed it back. This team will just not give up.

“The work that has gone into this, this is a lifetime dream achieved for all of these girls. I could not be prouder because I know how much they wanted it and I know how much they have worked for it.

“What a phenomenal game. This is what sport is about — you look at the England girls now and this is going to take a while to sink in.

“They never looked like they were second best. At four down, most teams would have crumbled. The netball world has been shaken here — we have a new world order.”

The Aussies trailed by two goals in the third quarter but fought back to lead 38-36 at three-quarter time.

Aussie fans were more than a little nervous at half time with the scores locked at 25-25 in a bruising contest. It turned out they had every right to be.

Aussie captain Caitlin Bassett could barely believe the shock loss.

“Obviously pretty gutted, it still doesn’t feel real,” she told Channel 7. “Things just didn’t fall our way tonight but full credit to England.

“They were physical, they slowed us down ... they did a really good job of smothering us tonight and putting the ball through the ring.”

The Aussies formed a huddle on the court as their opponents celebrated wildly, and Bassett said it was important to be proud of what they’d achieved on the Gold Coast.

“(The message to everyone was) to hold our heads high. We didn’t play bad netball out there, they just played great netball as well,” she said.

“For the fans to see that dogged, hard, one-on-one style out there was fantastic for them but obviously we wish the result was different.

“It’s not failure to us and it’s not going to define us.”

— with Tyson Otto on the Gold Coast

1.10pm

Australia kills Comm Games basketball

Australia absolutely destroyed Canada in the final of the men’s basketball on Sunday.

With Birmingham 2022 officials reportedly expected to follow the lead of the Olympic Games and change basketball to a three-on-three format, Australia might have shut the door on any chance the five-on-five game had of surviving as a Commonwealth sport.

The Aussies were several classes above Canada and ran away to an emphatic 87-47 victory.

The contest was over in the second quarter with Australia able to bring on their bench players and still continue to rip Canada apart.

Aussie basketball legend Andrew Gaze said it was an immense performance from the Boomers.

“It is an effort Australia can be really proud of,” Gaze said on Channel 7.

It comes after the Aussie Opals destroyed England in the final of the women’s basketball 99-55 on Saturday.

— Tyson Otto on the Gold Coast

12.30pm

Kiwis suffer ultimate Games shame

The Kiwis were out of answers.
The Kiwis were out of answers.

The post-mortem into New Zealand’s netball debacle has already begun after the country crashed to a historic defeat against Jamaica in the bronze medal playoff.

Heading into the Gold Coast Games, New Zealand had never failed to make the final of the Commonwealth Games netball competition.

A loss to Australia in the semi-final punted the Kiwis to their first ever bronze medal match.

Their 60-55 loss to the Sunshine Girls of Jamaica punted them to an unimaginable new low.

New Zealand trailed 29-27 at half time, but the margin had blown out to 10 goals in the third quarter.

There was no coming back from that.

It has prompted commentators to declare there will also be no coming back for coach Janine Southby.

The Silver Ferns coach admitted after the loss to Australia that a review into their disastrous campaign on the Gold Coast will be undertaken.

“There’s lots being said, but at the end of the day it’s got to go through a review process,” she said, when asked about her position as coach.

“At this stage, it’s just focus on bringing our best tomorrow, and there’s no other thoughts until we get home.”

— Tyson Otto on the Gold Coast

11.40am

Aussies through to women’s rugby sevens final

Australia had to fight back from an early deficit to down Canada in the semi-finals of the women’s rugby sevens.

The Gold Coast crowd was shocked when Canada went 7-0 up in the first half, but the Aussies kept calm and went on to score 33 unanswered points with Emma Tonegato bagging a hat-trick.

The 33-7 win guarantees the Aussies at least a silver medal heading into the gold medal game against New Zealand, scheduled for 2.35pm.

— Tyson Otto on the Gold Coast

10.35am

‘It tears your heart apart’

Callum Hawkins was incredibly distressed.
Callum Hawkins was incredibly distressed.

Scotland marathon runner Callum Hawkins twice collapsed in the final few kilometres of the men’s marathon in haunting scenes at the Commonwealth Games.

The 25-year-old was leading the race and could sniff the gold medal before he appeared to lose control of his legs and stumbled forward face first into a gutter on the side of the road.

He eventually fell into the grass next to the road and was not able to get up for almost a minute.

He eventually got back to his feet and tried to keep running before falling again a few hundred metres down the road on a Gold Coast bridge.

The ugly scenes were shown on Channel 7, leaving commentators Bruce McAvaney and Tamsyn Lewis stunned.

“Can you believe this? Callum Hawkins, who has demolished this field, is completely and utterly distressed,” McAvaney said.

“What we’re seeing is hard to watch. Very difficult to watch.

“This is a tough moment. We are parochial and we are Australians and Michael Shelley is a courageous man and he is hopefully now on his way to a second gold medal but to see what we’re seeing in the background tears your heart apart, to be truthful.”

Hawkins was on his own and Lewis called for medical staff to get to him quickly.

“Oh no! He is in trouble. He needs help.

Aussie Michael Shelley had been more than two minutes behind Hawkins in second spot.

He eventually raced up to where Hawkins was crumpled on the side of a bridge and ran past into the lead.

The 34-year-old maintained pole position and completed the course in 2:16.46 to win gold.

Read more: ‘Sickening’ Games disgrace slammed

— Tyson Otto on the Gold Coast

10am

Aussies take silver, bronze in women’s marathon

Lisa Weightman won silver.
Lisa Weightman won silver.

Aussies Lisa Weightman and Jess Trengove have won silver and bronze in the women’s marathon.

The pair were right in the mix with 5km to run, but couldn’t keep up with Namibia’s Helalia Johannes in the sprint to the finish.

Johannes finished in a time of 2:32.40 with Weightman finishing 43 seconds behind and Trengove just under 90 seconds later.

Trengove had appeared the most comfortable of the group with 10km to go, but was spotted fading away at the 5km mark.

Then Kenya’s Sheila Jerotich also dropped off from the lead group of four, allowing Trengove to push back into the medal placings.

“She’s gone from thinking, ‘I’ve lost it,’ to thinking, ‘Hang on I could get a medal here,’ to thinking, ‘I could actually get gold here,’” Bruce McAvaney said.

Her gold medal hopes were lost again just minutes later when she dropped off from Johannes and Weightman.

Minutes later Weightman also dropped off allowing Johannes to hit the finish line on her own.

— Tyson Otto on the Gold Coast

9.50am

‘Robbed’ boxer’s delusional barb

Michaela Walsh has continued her cries of conspiracy after being sensationally denied gold in a split decision in the women’s 57kg division boxing final.

Aussie Skye Nicolson was awarded the fight when three of the five judges scored the three-round fight 29-28 in the Aussies’ favourite.

Walsh cut a “distressed” figure during the medal presentation ceremony and declared after the fight she was the victim of a “home town” decision with judges giving the fight to Nicolson because of the vocal Aussie crowd on the Gold Coast.

“I don’t really know how I lost that fight. I don’t even think it was close,” Walsh told AAP.

“But she’s the face of the Games and sometimes that’s the way it is.

“Some of the decisions have been really bad lately, for Australia, I don’t know how they can get away with it. But it’s just going to make me stronger.”

She followed up those claims on Sunday morning, declaring she truly feels her silver medal is a gold.

— Tyson Otto on the Gold Coast

9.25am

Aussies react to ‘shocking’ Games moment

Liz Cambage’s Opals teammates have reacted to her bizarre ejection from their win over England in Saturday’s gold medal match.

Cambage was punted for appearing to say something to the referees under her breath as she prepared to shoot from the free throw line. Barely able to believe what happened, Cambage waved to the crowd and clapped herself off the court.

Retiring captain Belinda Snell said she was proud of how her team responded to adversity after what one Channel 7 presenter called the “shocking” moment.

“It was. We had great contributions from some young girls coming onto the court. They contributed when she was unfortunately sent off,” Snell said.

“It was a good test. She is one of the best players in the world so it was great the other girls could step up at the time.

“It was frustrating for Liz because she’s been our best player throughout the tournament but we celebrated with her last night and we are happy to have the gold with Australia.”

Jenna O’Shea reaffirmed Snell’s comments.

“She’s been our leading scorer for the tournament so that’s a really big, gaping hole for us to fill but I’m really proud of how the girls stepped up,” O’Shea said.

“I think she did a bit of a bike session while the game was going on and was watching it on TV out the back.

“We went and got her after the game was finished so we could all celebrate together. It’s tournament play, it’s not just one game, so we wanted all 12 players to be there together and she was right amongst it.

“Liz is an emotional being, she’s very passionate and that’s what I absolutely love about her. I think she surprised herself with the emotion.”

8.30am

Feanley’s emotional interview after winning gold

Kurt Fearnley is a true Aussie legend.
Kurt Fearnley is a true Aussie legend.

Kurt Fearnley won gold in the men’s T54 marathon in his final race representing Australia.

The 37-year-old crossed the line first after one hour, 30 minutes and 25 seconds.

Fearnley choked back tears as he spoke to Channel 7 after the race.

“All you can do is really try to give back a little and that was an hour and 30 (minutes) of giving back,” Fearnley said.

“That hurt mate, I’ve got nothing else.

“I checked the heart rate, I had an average of 194, including a minute before the start so I was working hard mate — and I can see my little man (son Harry) and (wife) Sheridan just coming over, so do you mind if I just go give them a quick hug mate?”

Fearnley spoke earlier in the Games about using sport as a way to help people with disabilities feel empowered, and his emotional interview was a poignant reminder for athletes and sports fan everywhere.

“This is everything, this is done — eight years ago I sat down and said this was my last race and never wavered ... when you’re in these colours you’ve got to be fierce and today I had as close to fierce as I’ll ever get,” Fearnley said.

“I’ve got a lot of feedback from people with what I said the other day. If I can say anything to the next people wearing the green and gold, young kids coming up, when you get on the microphone, when you speak, err on the side of kindness.

“And, if you can get here, bring the family with you, bring people with you, because it just makes it so much worthwhile.”

8am

‘He did not taste like tandoori chicken’

Indian wrestler Sumit Malik won Commonwealth Games gold in the men’s 125kg freestyle class on Saturday but caused a stew by biting an opponent.

Bushy-bearded Canadian Korey Jarvis accused Sumit of biting him during their round-robin bout on the Gold Coast.

The Indian made no attempt to deny it, cheekily passing judgment on how his rival tasted.

“It occurred in the heat of the moment,” said Sumit. “I am sincerely sorry that it happened — but, no, he did not taste like tandoori chicken.”

Defending champion Jarvis was hopping mad, despite finishing with the silver medal, as he did in Delhi eight years ago after a similar incident.

“He poked me in the eye and then he bit me,” he fumed. “It feels like Groundhog Day. I was winning in the last few seconds in Delhi and lost the gold medal — basically the same thing happened today.”

No action was taken to punish Sumit and Jarvis went on to beat Tayyab Raza for silver.

Sumit won the decider by forfeit after Nigeria’s Sinivie Boltic was forced to pull out with injury.

India enjoyed a happy penultimate day at the Commonwealth Games with eight gold medals in total, including three in boxing, to sit third on the overall medals table.

— AFP

7.45am

Fiji on the hunt for gold

Olympic champions Fiji rampaged into the Commonwealth Games rugby sevens semi-finals on Saturday, inspired by a silent prayer rather than a snarling haka-style war dance.

The Pacific islanders finished on top of their pool on the Gold Coast with a 63-5 thrashing of Sri Lanka, followed by a 54-0 whitewash of Uganda and a come-from-behind 21-17 victory over Wales.

The team’s pre-game routine involves a huddle in the middle of the ground, where the players put one hand on a ball and look up to the sky as they offer a quiet prayer.

“It’s nothing political, nothing to offend anyone — it’s what we believe in,” captain Jerry Tuwai told AFP.

“It’s what gets us going when we are weak. Every time we do something good, or even bad, we thank the Lord.”

The Fijians may lack the high-end training facilities of their wealthier opponents, but the world-beaters are set apart by a fierce team spirit and guided by their deep faith.

The players write Bible passages on their wrists before games to fire themselves up and there was a hint divine intervention in Tuwai’s desperate late tackle to deny Wales victory.

Fiji’s sevens, who recently won the prestigious Hong Kong crown to underline their title credentials, are back at the Commonwealth Games after a 12-year absence following a military coup in 2006.

They will be favourites to win a fourth Commonwealth title for the island nation and first since Nacanieli Qerewaqa’s judo gold in 2002.

Fiji’s rugby players took silver behind New Zealand in the inaugural Games sevens in 1998, once again in 2002 and finished with bronze at Melbourne in 2006.

Rugby is almost a religion in Fiji where previously national holidays have been declared in connection with the team’s World Cup progress.

“It’s the national sport, it’s the pride of Fiji,” said Tuwai, adding that the country comes to a halt when the national team plays.

“People will be glued to their TV screen and cheering us on.”

On the other side of the draw, England beat hosts Australia 26-17 to send the Olympic silver medallists into the semi-finals.

“England and Australia have a historic rivalry,” said England’s Alex Davis. “They always want to beat us and we always want to beat them for the bragging rights.”

England take on New Zealand in Sunday’s first semi-final before the mighty Fijians face South Africa.

In the women’s matches, New Zealand beat Canada 24-7 to book a semi-final spot against England, while Olympic champions Australia will meet Canada.

— AFP

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