Hockey Australia has joined a number of governing bodies who have voiced their disappointment at their respective sports being left out of the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
A scaled-back games in Glasgow will feature just 10 events, with diving, badminton, beach volleyball, cricket, road cycling and mountain biking, rhythmic gymnastics, hockey, rugby sevens, squash, table tennis and para table tennis, triathlon and para triathlon, and wrestling all removed after being included in the 2022 Birmingham Games.
The decision to remove hockey from the program will be a major blow to Australia’s medal tally at the Games, with the Hockeyroos having won gold on four separate occasions, while the Kookaburras have won gold at the last seven Games.
“It is a disappointing announcement, not just for hockey but for all of the sports who have missed out in the reduced format,” Hockey Australia CEO David Pryles said in a statement on Tuesday.
“In the short term, I will certainly miss seeing the Kookaburras and Hockeyroos on the podium. The images of our teams in green and gold singing the national anthem with their medals at every single Games since hockey’s inception in 1998 remains a proud part of Australian sporting history and our history at Hockey Australia.”
Pryles said Hockey Australia hopes “this is a temporary adjustment to the Games schedule”.
Squash Australia was also left reeling by the announcement despite being included in the 2028 LA Olympic Games. The sport had remained hopeful of being included at Glasgow due to the Scotstoun Sports Complex housing a venue that had successfully hosted the sport in 2014.
“Today’s announcement is a blow to the players who have had their dream of competing in the Commonwealth Games taken away from them,” Squash Australia CEO Robert Donaghue said in a statement.
“With Rachael Grinham carrying the flag into the opening ceremony in 2022, and Australia contributing 11 gold and 33 total medals since 1998, Australia has achieved great success in a sport which has been part of the fabric of the Commonwealth Games for a quarter of a century.”
Diving Australia also said it was disappointed after being left out of the 2026 program, but said it was hopeful the sport would be recalled in 2030.
“Naturally we are disappointed that diving won’t feature as part of the Glasgow Commonwealth Games given our proud history and strong track record of success,” Diving Australia CEO Alex Newton said in a statement.
“Diving has been a feature sport at every edition since the first Commonwealth Games in 1930 which makes today’s announcement even more regrettable.”
Volleyball Australia CEO Andrew Dee said the organisation was “deeply disappointed” at the news of beach volleyball being excluded from the Games.
Australia topped the medal tally at the Birmingham Games in 2022 with 180 medals, including 67 gold, and Australia’s chef de mission Petria Thomas said the team would embrace a “lighter and leaner” program in Glasgow.
“We knew the Games were headed to Glasgow, and we now know when they’ll be and the sports that will take part — it’s an exciting milestone in our preparations,” she said in a statement.
“We are committed to an experience for Australia’s team that exceeds Birmingham, with no stone to be left unturned as we target both performance and memories that last a lifetime.”
As a cost-saving measure, the 10 sports will be spread across just four venues — Scotstoun Stadium, Tollcross International Swimming Centre, Emirates Arena (including the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome) and the Scottish Event Campus.
That dictated which sports were included, although sevens could be considered unlucky given Scotstoun Stadium, which will host the athletics, is also the home of the Glasgow Warriors rugby union side.
About half the number of athletes who competed in Birmingham — 4,822 — are set to be in Glasgow with the reduced cost contributing to the decision to cut weighty team sports.
Athletes and support staff will stay in hotel accommodation rather than an athletes’ village while the event will have low-cost opening and closing ceremonies.
With AAP
