2 weeks Ago
Revealed: The Aussie fan-favourite sport that is paying the price for Dan Andrews' shocking Commonwealth Games backflip Only 10 sports will feature at 2026 Commonwealth Games Glasgow has stepped in to host the global sporting event Follows Dan Andrews' embarrassing backflip in July of 2023 Ex-Victorian Premier pointed to budget blowout of up to $6million By Ed Bourke For Nca Newswire Published: 00:25, 20 September 2024 | Updated: 00:25, 20 September 2024 e-mail View comments Cricket faces the axe from a 'more sustainable' Glasgow Commonwealth Games as Australia's governing body for the event vowed to protect other sports that missed out. As few as 10 sports will be on the program for the 2026 Games after it was confirmed Scotland had UK government support to host the struggling event. Originally set to reprise its spot in the slated regional Victorian games, cricket, which was brought back into the Games in Birmingham in 2022, will be one of the sports to miss out as the Games are condensed into only four venues in Glasgow.
💚💛 We're set to return to Scotland! 🏴 Ben Houston has applauded the announcement that support has been secured for Glasgow to host the 2026 Commonwealth Games. “This is a fantastic outcome for the Commonwealth Sport Movement,” Houston said. 👇🏼 More: https://t.
co/todjy6kzCD — Commonwealth Games Australia (@CommGamesAUS) September 17, 2024 Commonwealth Games Australia chief executive Craig Phillips said he was 'delighted' by the move after the Victorian government's controversial withdrawal from hosting and said the stripping down of the event would help more Commonwealth nations host the Games in the future. Phillips said CGA, which has 22 member sports, would ensure the sports that missed out would be kept 'part of our family' but could not guarantee future funding. Athletics and swimming were the only guaranteed 'core' sports locked in for Glasgow, with an announcement expected in October.
But track cycling, squash and netball were among the sports confident the mix of venues, which includes Scotstoun Stadium (used in 2014), would accommodate their sports. Squash Australia chief executive Rob Donaghue said it was a 'wait and see' for the racquet sport, which has been confirmed to make its Olympic debut at the 2028 Games in Los Angeles . Cricket faces the axe from a 'more sustainable' Glasgow Commonwealth Games (pictured, Aussie star Alyssa Healy with husband Mitch Starc after winning gold at the 2022 Games in Birmingham) Early reports suggest swimming and athletics are two sports certain to feature in Glasgow (pictured, Aussie swimmer Emma McKeon after winning gold in the 50m butterfly at Birmingham in 2022) 'They've talked about Scotstoun as a venue for athletics, and that was the venue for squash in 2014 - world doubles was held there in 2022, so there's a facility there as a legacy from the previous games,' Donaghue said.
'I think we're a really good chance...
.but it's wait and see, we have our fingers crossed.' Cricket will be reintroduced to the Olympics in LA in 2028, but it is understood there is little chance the women's T20 tournament held in Birmingham two years ago, which resulted in a gold medal for Australia, would be repeated.
Cricket Australia declined to comment on the Glasgow announcement but it looms as a likely exclusion in 2026. 'I think the program is very flexible in terms of what it looks like. Swimming and athletics are the only two that are confirmed for the games, so there are always going to be sports coming in and out of the program,' Phillips told reporters on Wednesday.
'What we need to do is make sure what we do in an Australian context is look after the ones that do drift in and out of the program. 'Many of them are also Olympic and Paralympic sports - while they may miss out on the Commonwealth Games competition, they'll still have their pathway through to Brisbane 2032 in particular.' The hosting backflip last year from former Victorian Premier Dan Andrews will cost Aussie taxpayers millions of dollars While it would hurt some sports, Phillips said the reduced scale of the event was set to prolong its lifespan and allow more countries to host.
'This gives us an opportunity to reset the future for the Games,' he said. 'I think what we'll see is with this revised version of the Games - a pared-back version, a more sustainable version, it will actually create more opportunities for more countries in the Commonwealth to host the games.' Phillips suggested boxing's place in Glasgow could be in jeopardy due to the ongoing power struggle between governing bodies - International Boxing Association, which is no longer recognised by the IOC, and the newly formed World Boxing.
'It is a difficult sport to leave out of the program, but at the end of the day, the CGF has to be certain that they have an international federation they can rely on to run the games,' he said. Birmingham Share or comment on this article: Revealed: The Aussie fan-favourite sport that is paying the price for Dan Andrews' shocking Commonwealth Games backflip e-mail Add comment.
