KUALA LUMPUR – The prestige of the Commonwealth Games is fading as host countries are now allowed not only to reduce the number of sports but they can also exclude certain events which have long been part of the Games.
It is clear that the rising costs of hosting, which increase with each edition, have pushed the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) to offer the option of scaling down the Games in order to attract countries to host.
Recently, Glasgow, announced as the host for the 2026 Games, decided to scale down the number of sports, limiting it to 10 able-bodied sports and six para-sports.
For Malaysia, which has been participating in the Games since 1950 in Auckland, the national contingent face a setback, losing potential gold medal prospects in badminton, diving, and squash.
Other sports that have been dropped are hockey, cricket, table tennis, shooting, and rhythmic gymnastics, all of which had the potential to contribute to medals for Malaysia.
Also excluded from the list are rugby sevens, wrestling, beach volleyball, and mountain biking.
Former world number 1 badminton player Roslin Hashim believes that the CGF should establish a rule that certain sports already included in the Olympics should not be dropped.
He cited the Olympics as an example, where, despite actively adding new sports in each edition, they still maintain core sports such as athletics, swimming, cycling, fencing, and artistic gymnastics.
Badminton has been a part of the Commonwealth Games for 60 years, starting from the 1966 edition in Kingston, Jamaica.
“If we look at the Olympics, even though it is held on a larger scale, there are still certain sports that are mandatory to compete in, which is not the case for the Commonwealth Games.
“We understand the privileges that come with being the host, but badminton has been part of the Commonwealth Games for a long time. To me, it’s unfair that just because these sports do not offer medal prospects for the host country, they are simply dropped,” said Roslin.
Even at the SEA Games level, the SEA Games Federation (SEAGF) announced a shift starting in the 2025 edition, eliminating unusual sports and categorising events into three groups: Category 1, comprising aquatics and athletics.
Additionally, host countries are required to feature at least 14 Category 2 sports from the Olympics and Asian Games, with the option to include up to eight Category 3 sports, covering regional or traditional events.
Therefore, Roslin said he hopes Malaysia can form an alliance with several other countries to ensure that badminton is reinstated in the next edition in 2030.
“20 years ago, we could proudly claim that we would secure at least four gold medals in badminton at the Commonwealth Games, but that is no longer the case.
“The competition has become increasingly intense, with countries like India, Singapore, England, Canada, and even Australia now capable of challenging for medals.
“Based on this, I believe it is possible for us to form an alliance with these countries to advocate for the reinstatement of badminton.
“For example, India is strong in the men’s singles, men’s doubles, and women’s singles, so I’m sure they share our sentiment regarding the absence of badminton from the Glasgow 2026 Games,” he added. – October 24, 2024.