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Commonwealth flag-bearer announced
23/07/2002
Dr Elaine Murray today announced the athlete to enjoy the honour of carrying the saltire during the opening parade of the Commonwealth Games in Manchester.
The Deputy Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport presented the flag to Craig MacLean, cyclist from Granton on Spey who will lead the Scottish Squad during the parade.
Dr Elaine Murray said:
"I consider it a personal honour to be invited here today to present the flag to the Scottish squad. The Commonwealth Games is the only senior multi-sport international event at which Scottish athletes compete for Scotland. Everyone in the team is justifiably proud to be representing our country.
"Sport has an important and highly visible role to play in Scottish life. The Scottish Executive is committed to promoting the widest possible involvement with sporting activities in Scotland.
"Sporting excellence can inspire. Successful Scots on an international stage can have a major impact on sport promotion and participation at a domestic level.
"Sport is also important to our local and national sense of identity and participation in sport links with the Executive's priority objective of improving the nation's health through physical activity. I am sure that the 207 athletes forming Scotland's 2002 Commonwealth Games squad will provide ideal role models to many fellow countrymen."
There are 17 sports in the Commonwealth Games - aquatics, athletics, badminton, boxing, cycling, gymnastics, hockey, judo, lawn bowls, netball, rugby sevens, shooting, squash, table tennis, triathlon, weightlifing and wrestling.
Some 5,200 athletes, coaches and officials from 72 nations will attend the event. There are 207 athletes in the Scottish team. These comprise 120 male and 87 female. Included within this total are eight disabled athletes, four competing in lawn bowls and four in swimming.
This release was uploaded on 31/07/2002