<p class="title">Brexit appears to have come early for England at the Commonwealth Games as it was listed as an African country with a population of two million in the official programme.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Australian organisers sought to make light of the embarrassing gaffe after England were somehow confused with Gambia, a West African nation which rejoined the Commonwealth in February after leaving in 2013.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"There was an overprint," said Mark Peters, chief executive of the Gold Coast Games. "We found out about it maybe 10 days ago.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"We went and spoke to England and said, 'Congratulations, the Commonwealth's changing and it has since Brexit, and you are now a part of Africa'.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Sometimes you make mistakes and we copped it."</p>.<p class="bodytext">The official guide to the Games, which profiles the 71 participating nations and territories and was published ahead of Wednesday's opening ceremony, claims England's capital is Banjul.</p>.<p class="bodytext">It does correctly list England's "magical moment" as the "miracle mile" of 1954 when Roger Bannister beat Australian John Landy with both men running a mile in under four minutes -- the first time two athletes had done so in the same race.</p>.<p class="bodytext">But it also says that England joined the Games in 1970, which was the year Gambia became a republic within the Commonwealth.</p>.<p class="bodytext">English officials apparently saw the funny side and declined an offer from organisers to tear up the guides and undergo a reprint, due to cost.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"They implored us not to do that," said Peters. "We are actually doing a special reprint of 500 to give to the English and the Commonwealth Games Federation to make sure that in terms of records, that's done correctly."</p>.<p class="bodytext">He added: "They're going to be so valuable after the Games because of that mistake."</p>.<p class="bodytext">African athletes were quick to poke fun.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Asked if she would welcome England to become part of Africa, Ghana hockey international Nafisatu Umaru replied: "Yes, we humbly do. England will be part of us and they're part of the reason we're in the Commonwealth Games."</p>
<p class="title">Brexit appears to have come early for England at the Commonwealth Games as it was listed as an African country with a population of two million in the official programme.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Australian organisers sought to make light of the embarrassing gaffe after England were somehow confused with Gambia, a West African nation which rejoined the Commonwealth in February after leaving in 2013.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"There was an overprint," said Mark Peters, chief executive of the Gold Coast Games. "We found out about it maybe 10 days ago.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"We went and spoke to England and said, 'Congratulations, the Commonwealth's changing and it has since Brexit, and you are now a part of Africa'.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Sometimes you make mistakes and we copped it."</p>.<p class="bodytext">The official guide to the Games, which profiles the 71 participating nations and territories and was published ahead of Wednesday's opening ceremony, claims England's capital is Banjul.</p>.<p class="bodytext">It does correctly list England's "magical moment" as the "miracle mile" of 1954 when Roger Bannister beat Australian John Landy with both men running a mile in under four minutes -- the first time two athletes had done so in the same race.</p>.<p class="bodytext">But it also says that England joined the Games in 1970, which was the year Gambia became a republic within the Commonwealth.</p>.<p class="bodytext">English officials apparently saw the funny side and declined an offer from organisers to tear up the guides and undergo a reprint, due to cost.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"They implored us not to do that," said Peters. "We are actually doing a special reprint of 500 to give to the English and the Commonwealth Games Federation to make sure that in terms of records, that's done correctly."</p>.<p class="bodytext">He added: "They're going to be so valuable after the Games because of that mistake."</p>.<p class="bodytext">African athletes were quick to poke fun.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Asked if she would welcome England to become part of Africa, Ghana hockey international Nafisatu Umaru replied: "Yes, we humbly do. England will be part of us and they're part of the reason we're in the Commonwealth Games."</p>