What Will Secure The Future Of The Commonwealth Games

[baron-pierreIV]

They should feature the first Trans-Paragender Youth CW Games! That should secure the CWGs future!!

[intoronto]

Indeed - be a pioneer for the IOC and introduce Twenty20 Cricket and squash. Demonstrate that these sports can work in a multi-sports event!

Minor correction squash has been a part of the commonwealth games for awhile now. THey are also apart of the Pan American Games as well.

[runningrings]

They should feature the first Trans-Paragender Youth CW Games! That should secure the CWGs future!!

Winter editions should be held every three years!

[intoronto]

Winter editions should be held every three years!

Winter edition is a great idea. Besides Canada you would have the British Isles (England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland), New Zealand and Australia.

South Africa, Pakistan, India, Ghana, Bermuda, Cayman Islands, Jamaica, Cyprus (Nations who competed in Vancouver) (Granted these nations will likely not win medals it helps to have a developmental event).

Edited October 13, 2012 by intoronto1125

[runningrings]

I was actually joking about the Youth Commonwealth Paragender Winter Games.

As for a Winter Commonwealth Games - not sure how well it would work. Canada would obviously dominate with scraps of silver and bronze distributed between the British nations, Australia and NZ. The only cities in Australia that could remotely host a winter multisport event would be Melbourne or Canberra (with good-ish ski resorts within a few hundred kms of each).

As for disabled sport in the Commonwealth Games - it is a fine example of how the Olympics could integrate the Paralympics into its even IF it wanted to. Obviously the Olympics would need to at least an extra week (probably ought to be a 28 day event), but it can be done. The EAD events embedded into the 2006 Games in Melbourne were wildly well received.

[intoronto]

I was actually joking about the Youth Commonwealth Paragender Winter Games.

As for a Winter Commonwealth Games - not sure how well it would work. Canada would obviously dominate with scraps of silver and bronze distributed between the British nations, Australia and NZ. The only cities in Australia that could remotely host a winter multisport event would be Melbourne or Canberra (with good-ish ski resorts within a few hundred kms of each).

As for disabled sport in the Commonwealth Games - it is a fine example of how the Olympics could integrate the Paralympics into its even IF it wanted to. Obviously the Olympics would need to at least an extra week (probably ought to be a 28 day event), but it can be done. The EAD events embedded into the 2006 Games in Melbourne were wildly well received.

There is no appetite to expand the Olympics but shrink it. So I doubt it would work for the SUmmer Games. Maybe the WInter Olympics.

Also for the Winter Games of course Canada would likely win the lion's share of gold medals but Australia, NZL and UK can win golds as well. They all have gold medal contenders for Sochi so not a stretch.

[Chafford1]

People were discussing the future of the Commonwealth Games as far back as Christchurch 1974 and no doubt will be having the same discussions in 2040. As long as we don't have any more disasters like Delhi 2010, the Commonwealth Games will survive. The current format works fine.

[Sir Rols]

Not a great fan of a Commonwealth Winter Games, but any reason why curling couldn't be put in the roster for the main games? Would be good for Canuck interest, give Scotland a good shot (pity it's not in for Glasgow where the Scots could aim for revenge) and give the rest of us some exposure, experience and incentive to build our participation.

[intoronto]

Not a great fan of a Commonwealth Winter Games, but any reason why curling couldn't be put in the roster for the main games? Would be good for Canuck interest, give Scotland a good shot (pity it's not in for Glasgow where the Scots could aim for revenge) and give the rest of us some exposure, experience and incentive to build our participation.

That's just it though. It only makes sense for Canada or Scotland (and at a stretch New Zealand or Australia). Those four along with Wales and England are the only ones that compete in international curling as well. So at best 6 teams.

[Alexjc]

Not a great fan of a Commonwealth Winter Games, but any reason why curling couldn't be put in the roster for the main games? Would be good for Canuck interest, give Scotland a good shot (pity it's not in for Glasgow where the Scots could aim for revenge) and give the rest of us some exposure, experience and incentive to build our participation.

Rink Sports could work easy...but would feel weird in summer...get use to it though.

[Sir Rols]

That's just it though. It only makes sense for Canada or Scotland (and at a stretch New Zealand or Australia). Those four along with Wales and England are the only ones that compete in international curling as well. So at best 6 teams.

I was more wondering about the seasonal aspects - an indoor ice event at a summer games. Point taken on that, though. But again, it would be an incentive to spread the game and would be a darwcard in core markets of the commonwealth.

Ditto figure skating.

[Lord David]

So you're asking for potential bidding cities to build a skating rink?

Lower capacities and put a locked number of sports. You add popular Commonwealth Sports like Cricket 20/20 and Association Football.

The Commonwealth Games can be saved if say minimum capacities for indoor sports was at 1,500. Ceremonies/Athletics at 25,000. Aquatics at 5,000. It can work.

[Sir Rols]

No, it would be totally optional, like most of the Commonwealth roster. What would be so outlandish for a Canadian host, a Glasgow, if even a Melbourne, to propose it.

[Rob2012]

I posted a BBC article in the curling thread about England's only curling venue:
http://www.gamesbids.com/forums/topic/23585-curling/page-7#entry431840

"Mr Fenton, a Scot who moved to London to work as an accountant more than 30 years ago, is a keen curler himself. He bought the farm in 1982 and converted his cowshed into a curling rink in 2004 because he couldn't find anywhere to play his favourite sport."

I think we'd be up against it if we had to enter an English team!

Then again, looking at the World rankings, we might be the 4th ranked Commonwealth team should it ever happen, so a definite chance of an English curling medal!

http://www.worldcurling.org/rankings-men-and-women

Edited February 22, 2014 by Rob.

[Brekkie Boy]

Still quite surprised India didn't work Twenty20 into Delhi 2010. Curling would have been great for Glasgow though it would be occupying one arena for most of the games.

[Sir Rols]

Changes to sports programme at Commonwealth Games being considered

A process is underway to reconsider the make-up of the sports programme at the Commonwealth Games, subject to decisions being made next year.

In a fashion that bears much resemblance with the Agenda 2020 reform process currently ongoing in the Olympic Movement, the process will continue over the next 12 months before reaching a conclusion at the 2015 General Assembly of the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF), to be held in Auckland next September.

Speaking following the conclusion of this year's event, held on the sidelines of Glasgow 2014 here over the last two days, CGF President Prince Imran explained that the members had already seen a report from the Sport Committee analysing potential changes.

"This includes the possibility of introducing sport specific quotas," the Malaysian revealed.

"Our members also recognised the need that our sports programme continues to evolve and, as such, as part of this review that would culminate at the General Assembly in Auckland next year, we will consider the possibility of new disciplines and events."

Unlike the Olympics, which currently has a fixed programme of sports, the CGF adopts a more flexible approach in which 10 core sports - athletics, badminton, men's boxing, hockey, lawn bowls, netball, men's rugby sevens, squash, swimming and weightlifting - are complimented by up to an additional seven from a large pool of other options.

These additional sports are chosen at the discretion of the host city.

So, in Glasgow, diving, cycling, gymnastics, judo, shooting, table tennis, triathlon and wrestling are among those that have been selected, while the likes of archery, canoeing, tennis and beach volleyball have not been.

Four core Paralympic sports must also be included on the programme, with an option to include up to three others, but not more than 20 overall events.

But there has been criticism of elements of this system in recent times, particularly from sports which have not made the cut, with London 2012 Olympic tennis singles champion Andy Murray expressing his disappointment he was unable to compete on home turf in Glasgow.

When elaborating upon the revision process, CGF chief executive Mike Hooper said a "key thing identified through the report we are undertaking was the need to ensure the Games Movement and programme continues to evolve to ensure we remain relevant to today's Commonwealth".

He admitted that making sure they do not overdo the scale of the Games is important, as well as ensuring the programme remains attractive to future bid cities, and looking at the quality and discipline of each sport.

But equally as crucial is making sure they do all of this in the context of the Commonwealth community.

This could potentially rule out the consideration of disciplines such as 3x3 basketball and beach soccer, which are growing in popularity in a global sense, but remain less significant in the Commonwealth nations.

"We are looking to develop a system ensuring good participation across our 71 nations and territories," said Hooper.

"It is an exciting time and there will be some interesting debate to come over the next 12 months."

Insidethegames

[markun]

Seb Coe has said that Glasgow has 'saved the Commonwealth Games' BBC described it as an opportunity for cities to host an event that is 'Proud, passionate and within their means'.

[aussiefan]

I think smaller cities should host it (like the Gold Coast) and really more commonwealth sports need to be included. It really needs twenty20 cricket. Rowing and sailing could also be included considering the strength in these sports in the commonwealth. I'm sorry to say but wrestling and judo need to go.

[Alexjc]

I think smaller cities should host it (like the Gold Coast) and really more commonwealth sports need to be included. It really needs twenty20 cricket. Rowing and sailing could also be included considering the strength in these sports in the commonwealth. I'm sorry to say but wrestling and judo need to go.

Yachting is too expensive, rowing sort of the same with only six real competitors. Twenty/20 Cricket is too weather dependant and time consuming. The CGF is looking to cut back the Lawn Hockey to the Sixes format along with Netball down to Fast Fives. There is also a move towards high impact TV ready sports with loud crowd support such as Darts. Boxing shouldd be the one to go, but that's IMO...Judo and Wrestling do have a strong following, CWGs tries to cater for all countries with sports like Shooting, Bowls, Squash, Badminton and Table Tennis.

[Brekkie Boy]

I don't think the CGs need to expand too much but a slight increase from 17 to 18 would be a nice controlled expansion, and I'd like to see Gymnastics and Cycling included in the core sports. Personally I'd drop Weightlifting and possibly Lawn Bowls and Badminton from the core sports line up too, though I guess Lawn Bowls is there as a non-Olympic sport. It would be nice to see one or two team parasports - something like Goalball or Sitting Volleyball.

[Alexjc]

I don't think the CGs need to expand too much but a slight increase from 17 to 18 would be a nice controlled expansion, and I'd like to see Gymnastics and Cycling included in the core sports. Personally I'd drop Weightlifting and possibly Lawn Bowls and Badminton from the core sports line up too, though I guess Lawn Bowls is there as a non-Olympic sport. It would be nice to see one or two team parasports - something like Goalball or Sitting Volleyball.

ParaSport's Smash Rugby, and Chair Road race should be included along with Women's Sevens...now that it is an Olympic sport. Unlike the men's, would only need a day for two pools of five, a repecharge, semis and finals or even splicing in semis and finals on mens day one, the women's starting a day earlier. Gold Coast could easily cover these.

[intoronto]

I don't think the CGs need to expand too much but a slight increase from 17 to 18 would be a nice controlled expansion, and I'd like to see Gymnastics and Cycling included in the core sports. Personally I'd drop Weightlifting and possibly Lawn Bowls and Badminton from the core sports line up too, though I guess Lawn Bowls is there as a non-Olympic sport. It would be nice to see one or two team parasports - something like Goalball or Sitting Volleyball.

Weightlifting had a great diversity of nations winning. It also allows some of the smaller nations such as Nauru to win medals.

[Faster]

The only para-team sport I would like to see included in wheelchair rugby because it is telegenic.

Rowing would just be a fricken romp around the lake for Canada, New Zealand, Australia and England. Not sure the diversity of the sport would be good for the games but could offer a good balance to the excessive number of shooting events. I would actually support canoe/kayaking as a sport despite my love of rowing.

Aquatics is very limited in medal diversity, despite by dislike of boxing and weightlifting both offer a diverse medal standings. Of course an Aussie would say wrestling has got to go, Australia absolutely sucks at wrestling. It makes Canada, India and Nigeria happy gives those countries a huge advantage in their development process going towards the next Olympics.

If I was Edmonton this would be my sporting program:

Athletics minus the race-walking

Badminton as in Glasgow

Boxing 7 male and 7 female weight divisions

Cycling: track (14), mountain biking (3), road (4)

Aquatics: full swimming program, diving (10), synchro (2)

Gymnastics: full artistic and get the CWGF to approve trampoline and tumbling

Hockey

Judo

Netball (unfortunately its a core)

Rugby 7's

Taekwondo

Weighlifting

Wrestling

Would leave shooting completely out of the program

[intoronto]

You forgot bowls. Hamilton proposed soccer, I wonder if Edmonton would as well?

[Faster]

I think I forgot squash too which is required.