Victoria will host the 2026 Commonwealth Games, with regional centers across the Australian state hosting the majority of events breaking away from the traditional single host city model. The Games will take place in March 2026 in several cities and regional centres, including Melbourne, Geelong, Bendigo, Ballarat and Gippsland, each with its own athletes’ village.
The opening ceremony will take place at the iconic 100,000 capacity Melbourne Cricket Ground, the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) announced on Tuesday. The announcement follows a period of exclusive dialogue between the CGF, Commonwealth Games Australia (CGAus) and Victoria.
An initial slate of 16 sports, including Twenty20 cricket, has been proposed for the Games, with more sports to be added later this year. The initial list, however, does not include disciplines such as shooting and wrestling, sports in which India has performed well in previous editions of the sports extravaganza. Archery is also not on the list.
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National Rifle Association of India Secretary General Kunwar Sultan Singh called the CGF’s decision devoid of “logic or reasoning”.
“It is disheartening, shocking and totally illogical to rule out filming from the CWG for the second year in a row. It’s unfair to shooters around the world preparing for such an important multi-sport event. I would request the Government of India and the AIO to raise the matter with the concerned authorities of the CGF for the sport to be included in the program of the Victoria 2026 Games,” Singh told TOI.
“A concerted effort is needed from the government and the IOA to reverse this decision. United World Wrestling must do something to ensure wrestling regains its rightful place in the CWG. TOI quoted an official from the Wrestling Federation of India.
Indian wrestlers won 12 medals, including five gold medals, while the country’s shooters won 16 medals, including seven gold medals. As for archery, which has only featured in two editions of the CWG, the last in 2010, India won eight medals in New Delhi, including three gold medals.
Premier of Victoria Daniel Andrews said: “It is a great honor to have Victoria chosen as the host site for the 2026 Commonwealth Games – we look forward to welcoming the world across our state. “Commonwealth Games in Greater Victoria are great for jobs, hospitality and our economy. Australia has hosted the Commonwealth Games five times, with Victoria hosting the Melbourne Games in 2006; widely regarded as one of the most successful editions of the event in history.
The country has also hosted the Games in Sydney in 1938, Perth in 1962, Brisbane in 1982 and most recently Gold Coast in 2018. Victoria also hosted the Commonwealth Youth Games in Bendigo in 2004. CGF President Dame Louise Martin said: “The Commonwealth Games Federation is absolutely delighted to award the 2026 Commonwealth Games to Victoria.
“Commonwealth Games Australia and the Government of Victoria have set out a bold and innovative vision to host our major multi-sport event. In Victoria, we believe we have found the perfect partner for the next leg of our journey. »
In line with the CGF’s new “strategic roadmap” unveiled at its 2021 General Assembly on October 11, athletics and swimming will be the only mandatory sports of the CWG from the 2026 edition, allowing host cities a greater great freedom to include the disciplines of their choice in a proposal. basic list of 22 sports. The core list proposed by the Commonwealth Games Federation after review includes shooting, wrestling and archery. Disciplines that were previously listed as optional sports such as T20 cricket, beach volleyball and 3×3 basketball have also been moved under the proposed core list of sports The roadmap was approved at the General Assembly of the CGF, which was held practically last year.
The 2026 Games will be the 23rd edition of the major multi-sport competition, which began in Hamilton, Canada in 1930. Victoria is a world-leading major events and tourism destination. The state has a strong track record of hosting top-level sporting competitions including the Australian Open tennis grand slam, Melbourne Formula 1 Grand Prix and the Melbourne Cup. The state also regularly hosts elite competitions in cricket, golf and Australian rules football.
(With PTI entries)
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