Birmingham 2022 Set to Be Most Inclusive Games Ever
August 16, 2019
The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) has this week announced that Birmingham 2022 is set to have the largest ever female and para sport programme in history after Women’s T20 Cricket, Beach Volleyball and Para Table Tennis were confirmed for the next Commonwealth Games.
The announcement comes after the 71 Commonwealth Games Associations (CGAs) voted by the required majority to accept the proposal from Birmingham 2022 to add these three sports to the existing programme.
The addition of Women’s T20 Cricket will see eight teams competing at Birmingham’s iconic Edgbaston Stadium. This adds to a strong female sports programme which, as it stands, will see two more women’s medal events than men’s at the Games, with 135 compared to 133. There are currently seven mixed events, with the confirmed event programme to be announced next year.
It marks the first time in history that a major multi-sport event will feature more women’s than men’s medal events.
The addition of these sports means Birmingham 2022 is expected to surpass the previous Commonwealth Games record for women’s medal events in Gold Coast 2018 by two. With the inclusion of Para Table Tennis, the Games will have more para sports of the programme at a Commonwealth Games than ever before, with eight para sports now confirmed for the multi-sport competition.
Beach Volleyball joins the sports programme for Birmingham 2022 following a hugely successful Commonwealth Games debut at Gold Coast 2018, where it became one of the star attractions of the Games.
This week’s announcement also confirms that there will be up to 4,500 athletes competing at Birmingham 2022 across 19 sports. The Games will take place from 27 July to 7 August in 2022.
CGF President Dame Louise Martin said: “Today is an historic day for the Commonwealth Games and I am delighted that we can now confirm that Birmingham 2022 is set to have the largest ever female and para-sport programme in history.
International Cricket Council Chief Executive Manu Sawhney said: “This is a very significant moment for women’s cricket and for the global cricket community, who were united in their support of this bid. Our partnership with the Commonwealth Games is a significant step forward in realizing our ambition for the women’s game.”
International Table Tennis Federation President (ITTF) President Thomas Weikert said: “This will hopefully provide us with an opportunity to build upon the successes of the Gold Coast Games, to further the development of our Para athletes across the Commonwealth and provide an impetus for activity on the local and national scene in England.”
Ian Reid, Chief Executive of Birmingham 2022 said: “I am delighted that our proposal to add women’s cricket, beach volleyball and para table tennis to our sports programme has been endorsed by the CGF’s Executive Board and now by Commonwealth Games Associations from across the globe.”
Headquartered in the UK, but working across 71 member nations and territories, CGF - a thinkBeyond client - is responsible for the direction and control of the Commonwealth Games and Commonwealth Youth Games, and for delivering on the vision of the Commonwealth Sports Movement: to build peaceful, sustainable and prosperous communities globally by inspiring Commonwealth Athletes to drive the impact and ambition of all Commonwealth Citizens through Sport.