'Glasgow has built a fantastic worldwide reputation as a city of sport'

Glasgow’s stature as a host city on the world sporting stage has been praised as this summer’s Commonwealth Games commences on 23 July.

Ian Beattie, our Chief Operating Officer and the Chair of UK Athletics, believes the return of the games this month - followed by the European Athletics Championship in Birmingham just a week later - will give home athletes a strong platform upon which to shine.

For the host cities, he is sure that the arrival of international competitors and fans will also bring significant advantages as both build on previous successes, with an inspirational impact.

Glasgow is hosting the Commonwealth Games for the second time in 12 years, having staged the event to wide acclaim in 2014.

Ian said: “Glasgow has built a fantastic reputation worldwide over the years as a top city of sport. It’s a place sport wants to come to.

“It’s been an absolute mainstay of Glasgow’s strategy as a city to invest in sporting events. There have been a number of major championships - including in world athletics, cycling and gymnastics - in recent years and they have gone fantastically well.”

Ian says the benefits of this summer’s major athletics events from a United Kingdom perspective are significant as well, with the European Athletics Championships being staged in the country for the first time - strengthening Birmingham’s status as a host city too.

He added: “It’s important for Birmingham to have followed up hosting the Commonwealth Games in 2022 with something else.

“Hopefully the crowds at both events will be the same - passionate, significant. An athletics audience tends to be family-focussed. You see people taking their children to a big event and they’re going to see their heroes.

“It’s inspirational for them and the next generation.”

Lindsays is a significant supporter of grassroots sport in Scotland.

This year, we strengthened that commitment by extending our sponsorship of the scottishathletics cross country season and road race series. The road race series concluded with a record combined field of 1,450 runners taking part in the 5k and 10k events in Edinburgh and Glasgow – a clear reflection of the growing popularity and strength of the sport. Our dual sponsorship agreement will continue through to 2029, supporting athletes and events across the country.

For both crowds and athletes, Ian believes the competition in Glasgow and Birmingham has a lot to offer.

“It’s a really exciting summer,” he said. “Any time we have home games - in Scotland or within the UK - there’s great excitement for the athletes, both the established athletes who have been at the top for many years and some of the up-and-coming athletes for whom this will be a new experience. It’s going to be really good.

He added: “I’m a big believer that Glasgow 2014 was a really significant event for the development of athletes in Scotland.

“For many, it was their first time being at the centre of something as big as that. They liked what they saw and some developed into world champions and Olympic medalists. The Glasgow games gave that taste of what it could be like.”

Just last month, we marked the countdown to a summer of athletics by bringing a trio of Olympians to Glasgow as part of our second Lindsays Sports Forum, connecting elite sporting insight with the people and organisations who help athletics thrive at every level.

We welcomed Dame Denise Lewis, Olympic gold medallist, Eilidh Doyle, Scotland’s most decorated track and field athlete, and Jack Buckner, UK Athletics Chief Executive and former distance runner to share their experiences. Together, they offered valuable perspectives on their careers, the importance of major events, and the lasting impact of athletics on communities and individuals alike.

The Commonwealth Games take place from July 23 to August 2. The European Athletics Championships are between August 10 and 16.