Para Table Tennis a Part of Integrated 2018 Commonwealth Games Program

It has been announced that table tennis will be a part of the most extensive integrated para-sport program in history for the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games.

Following the announcement, ITTF President Thomas WEIKERT stated:“It is great that Para Table Tennis is making its return to the Commonwealth Games for the first time since 2010. It is a fantastic initiative from the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) to have Para athletes integrated with able bodied athletes, which is something the ITTF has done at previous events.”

President of the CGF Louise Martin CBE said:”With the largest-ever number of para-sport events in Commonwealth sporting history, we are thrilled that Gold Coast 2018 will deliver an ambitious and welcome growth for the inclusive and integrated para-sport competition, first presented at a Commonwealth Games in Manchester 2002.”

“Today’s announcement ensures that the next edition of the Games will enable sports fans in Australia and across the world to support a record-breaking number of para-athletes at a Commonwealth Games”.

There will be 300 para-athletes and 38 medal events across seven sports to be showcased at the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games.

This is an increase of 45% more athletes and 73% more medals compared to the record-breaking para-sport competition at Glasgow 2014.

Apart from table tennis, other sports being contested by para-athletes at Gold Coast 2018 are Athletics, Cycling (Track), Lawn Bowls, Powerlifting, Swimming, and Triathlon.

The Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games will be staged from 4-15 April 2018.

Commonwealth Games Federation President Announces Members Of 2022 Evaluation Commission

The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) On Thursday October 9 announced the team appointed to a new Evaluation Commission tasked with assessing bids from cities vying to host the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

The Commission strongly features key figures from the hugely-successful Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games – including the Organising Committee’s Vice-Chair Louise Martin CBE, and Chief Executive, David Grevemberg. Glasgow 2014 has already been described by CGF President HRH Prince Imran as the Commonwealth sports movement’s ‘best-ever’ Games.

The CGF Evaluation Commission will be chaired by Louise Martin, CGF Honorary Secretary. She will be joined on the Commission by David Grevemberg, who takes up his appointment as CGF Chief Executive next month. Other members of the Commission will include Maxwell de Silva, Secretary General Sri Lanka Commonwealth Games Association (CGA) and Ian Hooper, Director of Sport and Special Projects at Glasgow Life, the organisation that delivers sports and cultural services on behalf of Glasgow City Council, A fifth member of the Commission, representing International Sporting Federations, is still to be announced.

The Commission will be responsible for undertaking a comprehensive review of the Candidature Files of bidding cities which are due to be lodged by March 2, 2015.

In March this year, the CGF received formal notification of an intention to bid for the XXII Commonwealth Games from two cities – Durban in South Africa and Edmonton in Canada. The Commission will undertake their visits during April 2015.

The news was unveiled on the Gold Coast, Australia, where the CGF is undertaking a strategic debrief from the Glasgow 2014 Organising Committee and Games Partners, as well as a Co-ordination Commission review of operational planning for the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games.

Making the announcement, HRH Prince Imran said:

“I’m delighted to announce a 2022 Commonwealth Games Evaluation Commission which combines such extensive Games knowledge with excellent technical expertise and experience covering all the key factors relating to the delivery of a successful Games.

This is an exciting and dynamic period for the Commonwealth sports movement in which Glasgow 2014 has reaffirmed the position of the Commonwealth Games on the world’s sporting stage. Our future prospective host cities now have the opportunity to engage with and share the insight of a high-calibre Commission and I look forward very much to seeing the ambitions that Durban and Edmonton have for the 2022 Commonwealth Games being brought to life.”