Commonwealth Games
Events > Commonwealth Games > Sport > Which Sports?
Which sports are included?
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What is a sport? At the Commonwealth and Olympic Games, Aquatics is classed as the sport and Diving, Swimming and Synchronised Swimming are all disciplines. The same applies to Cycling, with disciplines of Track, Road and Mountain Bike. Gymnastics – Artistic and Rhythmic, and Shooting – Clay Target, Full Bore, Small Bore and Pistol also have disciplines within their sports.
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As well as many Olympic Sports, the Games also include some sports that are played predominantly in Commonwealth countries, such as lawn bowls and netball.
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In an effort to modernise the Games, in Malaysia 1998, the Commonwealth Games Federation decided to include team sports for the first time. In 1998 there were four team sports, Cricket, Hockey, Netball, and Rugby 7s. In 2002 there was three (netball, hockey, rugby 7s) and in 2006 there are four (Basketball added).
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The Commonwealth Games program is determined by the host nation. Athletics, Race Swimming, Lawn Bowls, Rugby Sevens (Men) and Netball (Women) are all compulsory. The host country selects the remaining sports from Archery, Badminton, Billiards and Snooker, Boxing, Canoeing, Cycling, Fencing, Gymnastics, Judo, Rowing/Sprint Racing, Shooting, Squash, Table Tennis, Tennis, Ten Pin Bowling, Triathlon, Weightlifting, Wrestling and Yachting. Following the introduction of team sports in Kuala Lumpur in 1998, each Games must now have a minimum of two and a maximum of four team sports.
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Boxing, Athletics and Swimming have been on every Games program.
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The number of sports at each Games has increased steadily over the years. Initially, there were only 6 sports (1930, 1934), then 7 (1938), 10? (1950), 9 (1954-74), 10 (1978-94), 15 (1998) , 17 (2002) and 16 (2006).
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In Melbourne 2006, there will be 12 individual and four team sports, with a total of 24 disciplines. Compared to 2002, Judo and Wrestling have been omitted, while Basketball has been added.
