Sports appeal for inclusion at slimmed-down Comm Games

[Pelican Press 0]

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Sports appeal for inclusion at slimmed-down Comm Games

Australia and England netball coaches are pleading for the sport to remain in the Commonwealth Games ahead of a pivotal meeting on Friday.

Australia’s women’s rugby sevens captain Michaela Leonard is also joining a chorus of sports leaders seeking assurances of competing at the 2026 Games in Glasgow.

The ’26 edition will feature just 10 sports, down from the 19 on the Games program in 2022 in Birmingham, England.

Commonwealth Games Australia hierarchy will meet with 22 *********** sports chiefs on Friday and brief them on potential inclusion.

The CGA funds the 22 sports slated to be on the Games program in Victoria, which reneged on hosting in July last year.

Only swimming and athletics are guaranteed to appear at the Games after Glasgow stepped in following the Victorian government’s withdrawal as host last year.

CGA chief executive Craig Phillips is also on the executive board of the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) which will finalise the Glasgow sports roster within a fortnight.

Phillips has said because Australia were no longer hosts, the nation would have no input about which sports would take part.

But that hasn’t stopped sports pushing their case, with Australia’s netball coach Stacey Marinkovich saying the Games are vital for her sport.

“We definitely want to be a part of the Commonwealth Games,” Marinkovich said after the Diamonds’ 70-57 win over England in Adelaide on Thursday night in Adelaide.

“It’s one of the pinnacle events in our sport, with the World Cup.

“When you have the best countries in that competition, it gives it good reason to be included because you’re seeing world’s best athletes out there for what our sport brings.

“I really hope we’re included.”

Marinkovich’s sentiments were echoed by England coach Jess Thirlby.

“Being a non-Olympic sport, it’s really critical,” Thirlby said.

“It (the Commonwealth Games) has clearly given the Roses some memorable moments … it’s something we really want on the calendar.

“We still want to be part of a multi-sport environment but also we’re fortunate that Commonwealth Games countries represent the best countries in the world for our sport.

“The sport deserves to be showcased … I hope the Commonwealth Games realise these non-Olympic sports need that.”

Australia’s women’s rugby seven’s captain Leonard also appealed for her sport to be retained.

“We definitely know that sevens, with our Aussie women, is a massive drawcard for the sport, particularly in Australia but globally,” the Wallaroos skipper said.

“(I) definitely would love to see rugby sevens included, any exposure is good exposure.

“We’ll be pushing to do whatever we can to be included in the Comm Games.”

Glasgow’s second Games in a dozen years – the city successfully hosted in 2014 – will be chiefly funded by Australia.

The Victorian government paid the CGF $380 million in compensation after its shock withdrawal as host in July last year.

The CGF, in turn, has given about $200m of that money to Scotland, which announced midweek Glasgow would host.

The CGA will also chip in an additional $4.5m to help Scotland cover costs.

Dates for the Glasgow Games are yet to be confirmed but the multi-sport event is expected to be held at a similar time to the 2014 edition, staged across 11 days from late July to early August.

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