Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games to be ‘most inclusive’

THE Commonwealth Games in Glasgow will be the “most inclusive” in the history of the event, Scotland’s Sports Minister Shona Robison has said.

The Glasgow 2014 Organising Committee has announced it is including 22 medal events for para-athletes, the highest number in the history of the Games.

Taking place in two years’ time, the Games will feature 256 medal events in 17 sports: aquatics, athletics, badminton, boxing, cycling, gymnastics, hockey, judo, lawn bowls, netball, rugby sevens, shooting, squash, table tennis, triathlon, weightlifting and wrestling.

But organisers have also included five para-sports on the programme: aquatics, athletics, lawn bowls and powerlifting, as well as four new cycling events and two extra powerlifting competitions for para-athletes.

Ms Robison said: “Glasgow 2014 is set to be the biggest and most inclusive Commonwealth Games, with new events for female and para-sport athletes within a fantastic sports programme of more than 250 medal events across 17 sports and over 11 days of competition.

“This will be the biggest multi-sports event that Scotland has ever hosted and the sports programme will build excitement among athletes and give Scots a taste of what’s to come in just over two years’ time.”

Glasgow 2014 chief executive David Grevemberg added: “Glasgow 2014 is delighted to announce a final sports programme which is true to our vision of delivering an outstanding athlete-centred and sports-focused Games for Scotland that is on time and on budget.

“ I’m delighted that in delivering 17 sports over 11 days of competition we have been able to increase our commitments to competition and medal opportunities by offering greater opportunities for female and para-sport athletes. And I’m especially proud that Glasgow 2014 will offer more events and medal opportunities for para-sport athletes than any Commonwealth Games in history.”