Commonwealth Games Open on Note of Pageantry Despite 31-Team Boycott

The Commonwealth Games, plagued by a political boycott over South Africa, opened Thursday with a dazzling display of color and pageantry but with only 27 of the original 58 teams scheduled to compete.

In a dramatic, last-minute development, Bermuda’s team of eight athletes and five officials decided to stay in the games and defy an order to join the boycott by 31 other countries, colonies and territories. The boycott is in protest of British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher’s intransigence over imposing economic sanctions against South Africa.

Most of the 10 sports at the 10-day games were hit by the boycott, especially boxing, in which about half the original 160 participants are left. Three boxing sessions have been canceled.

The team representing Bermuda, Britain’s oldest colony, made its decision to compete so late that it could not take up its correct place at the opening ceremony at Meadowbank Stadium. The team had to march at the back of the line behind Western Samoa.

The opening ceremony ended with a message of good will from Queen Elizabeth II that was read by her husband, Prince Philip.