Blunder: The Commonwealth Games program lists England as an African country
The Commonwealth Games program embarrassingly lists England as an African country.
The official guide to the Games, published ahead of tonight’s opening ceremony, says England’s capital is Banjul and its population is two million.
It appears publishers have mixed England up with Gambia, a small west African nation which re-joined the Commonwealth in February after pulling out in 2013.
The program, which costs $10 and contains an official welcome from the Queen, profiles all 71 nations in the Games.
It correctly lists England’s ‘magical moment’ as the ‘miracle mile’ of 1954 when Roger Bannister beat Australian John Landy by a second with both men running a mile in under four minutes – the first time two athletes had done so in the same race.
But it says England joined in 1970 – the year Gambia became a republic within the Commonwealth.
A Games volunteer told News Corp: ‘It’s a pretty embarrassing clanger.
‘This is the official program that thousands of people will buy as a keepsake and the details on the country that created the Commonwealth are wrong.
‘If the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games Corporation knew about the mistake, it must have been too late or too expensive to reprint the magazine.’
Daily Mail Australia has contacted GOLDOC for comment.
It appears publishers have mixed England up with Gambia, a small west African nation which re-joined the Commonwealth in February after pulling out in 2013. Pictured: Rehearsals for the opening ceremony
It comes as stormy weather batters the Gold Coast before the opening ceremony on Wednesday night.
Despite the intense rain, officials have said storm Iris will not affect the Games or the associated royal visit.
Games CEO Mark Peters revealed that 140,000 tickets are still up for grabs, including 20,000 preliminary basketball tickets.
‘We won’t sell all of them but we will sell 95-plus per cent and we’re absolutely confident will be ahead of our revenue projections,’ he said.
‘These will be an extremely good Games.’
Games CEO Mark Peters revealed this week 140,000 tickets are still up for grabs, including 20,000 preliminary basketball tickets