Commonwealth Games Foundation under fire for 'discriminatory' village for parent athletes in Birmingham

Bismah Maroof of Pakistan in action. Photo / Photosport

There's pressure on the Commonwealth Games Foundation to practice what they preach.

The CGF has made its stance clear when it comes to female athletes bringing their babies to Birmingham in late July.

Pakistan cricket captain Bismah Maroof won't be able to have her daughter stay with her in the Games village, and will instead stay in a nearby hotel, after organisers refused to accommodate places for her baby daughter and a caregiver in the village.

It's opened up a can of worms because Maroof won't be the only athlete forced to stay outside of the athlete village.

Equality is one of the three core values of the Commonwealth Games Federation, and non-discrimination is now a clause in all host city contracts.

But World Players Association executive director Brendan Schwab, who has more than 25 years of leadership experience, is appalled with both the Games foundation and federation.

He says they are going against what they stand for.

"In October 2017, the Commonwealth Games Foundation was leading global sport in terms of its commitment to internationally recognised human rights and embedding that in all aspects of the organisation of the Games.

"It has the backing of all of the sports ministers of the Commonwealth nations and a key pillar of that is gender equality."

Schwab says Bismah is part of an effort by the Commonwealth Games to expand into a very important sport, which can only be done if it upholds those commitments.

"Plainly, it can be discriminatory for a female or male athlete with parental responsibilities to not be able to maintain those responsibilities while competing in the Games.

"We should be seeing efforts made to include parents and athletes with responsibilities as opposed to put additional costs on them and exclude them from being able to compete."

He says these types of statements and decisions are at odds with the broader human rights commitments which the CGF has pledged itself to.

"There are some broad policy commitments being made by the Commonwealth Games and other international sports federations such as the International Olympic Committee and Fifa, but we need to make sure that they're implemented and that the reaction to concerns when raised by athletes is not to deny them standing or impose additional cost.

"It's to embrace those concerns which the policy commitment states. The CGF need to listen to the athletes, engage in meaningful engagement and bring about a win-win solution."