It’s time to stop the minnow bashing, this is a great sporting event

MINNOW bashing. It is almost a sport in itself. Whenever a major sporting event like the Commonwealth Games takes place there are lop-sided contests that resemble father-son games.

MINNOW bashing.

It is almost a sport in itself.

Whenever a major sporting event like the Commonwealth Games takes place there are lop-sided contests that resemble father-son games.

The small developing nations and their right to compete against the big boys are soon in the cross-hairs.

Cricket has trimmed its World Cup from 14 teams to 10 sides for the 2019 instalment in England.

Cricket’s rationale was the tournament to be the “shop window for the best teams in one-day cricket”.

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St Clair Hodge of Saint Kitts and Nevis competing in the Beach Volleyball.

Cricket’s rationale also meant that Test nations like Zimbabwe and Ireland will be watching the World Cup on TV with Afghanistan and the West Indies winning through at the recent qualifying tournament.

Cricket has a terrible track record of bringing outlier nations into the fold.

Rugby union and Rugby League World Cups feature some cricket scores in the early rounds and attract criticism for bothering with the cannon fodder.

At the Commonwealth Games on Friday night, three Australian teams won by a collective 155 points across the men’s and women’s basketball and netball.

The Boomers beat Canada (who are no basketball minnows) by 95-55, the Diamonds netballers smacked Barbados 79-24 while the Opals scored a 113-53 win over Mozambique.

Odelia Mafanela of Mozambique playing against England.

But can the Commonwealth Games tighten up the qualification process in some sports to prevent blowouts?

Do the first-week cakewalks impact on the Commonwealth Games brand and provide fodder for its critics who downplay any achievements at this event because the Yanks aren’t here?

The answer may well be ‘Yes’ to both questions. Some tweaking of pool game formats and the size of some competitions could be looked at.

And as Taylor Swift once rightly pointed out, haters are going to hate, hate, hate.

The critics who love to refer to the Commonwealth Games as a school sports carnival will always bag it.

Some people aren’t happy unless they are miserable about something.

Sabreena Smith of Barbados competing in the Commonwealth Games netball.

Should the Commonwealth Games follow cricket’s lead and trim the minnows all together?

The answer to that question is ‘hell no’. That’s what it’s all about to an extent.

If the Commonwealth Games did that, the event would need a name change.

Maybe something like the “Five Nations” featuring Australia, New Zealand, Canada, South Africa and Great Britain.

It would save money, you could knock it over in a week or so.

A vast majority of the nations on the Gold Coast could be classed as minnows in certain sports.

This is their Olympics. This is their time in the sun. Albeit they are getting belted by more cashed-up, more professional, better coached, better prepared athletes from more developed countries.

Flora Duffy of Bermuda celebrates on her way to winning gold in the women's triathlon

But it is a massive deal for them just to be here and it’s called “The Friendly Games” for a reason.

The refreshing, positive and upbeat attitude of the developing countries and their athletes is a nice, smiling contrast to the often cynical, nasty and negative approach that is far too prevalent in football codes and other professional sport these days.

And if they crack it for a medal, they are national heroes and provide us all with a warm and fuzzy moment.

It’s no Olympics but it doesn’t pretend to be.

For some sports as whole, the Commonwealth Games is the pinnacle.

Some of the action is genuinely world-class and you cannot put a price on what it means to somebody to represent their country

So let them play.

The minnows matter. The Commonwealth Games matter.

Originally published as It’s time to stop the minnow bashing, this is a great sporting event