Abuja bid for the 2014 Commonwealth Games location for the games because of its unity, serenity, topography and availability of standard sporting facilities. Abuja had recently hosted the All-Africa Games, The African regional version of the olympics, for which it constructed a world-class olympic stadium and games village. It was a hugely successful tournament with more than 7,000 athletes (and larger in size than any Commonwealth Games ever held). The 2014 Commonwealth Games would also be an integral part of national celebration plans for Nigeria's centenary. The Abuja bid received strong support from African Commonwealth members (which make up the bulk of the Commonwealth) as well as
South African Republic staged the Maritz Rebellion by declaring the reinstatement of the South African Republic and aligned themselves with the Central Powers. The rebellion was put down by British forces in February 1915. The land area that was once the ZAR now comprises all or most of the provinces of Gauteng, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, and North West in the northeastern portion of the modern Republic of South Africa. Constitutionally the name of the country was "" (South African Republic or ZAR). Many people also called the "ZAR Transvaal", in reference to the area over (or trans) the Vaal River, including the British press