KEY POINTS:
Race walking and synchronised swimming have avoided being axed for the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi but face some conditions for continued inclusion.
The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) executive board will be recommending to tomorrow's general assembly in Colombo, Sri Lanka, that both codes be included in 2010, but with some format changes.
Delhi had originally asked for both events to be cut from the programme.
But the hosts withdrew the request after the CGF executive agreed to the race walking events for men and women be limited to 20km and synchronised swimming be held in the diving pool, after receiving a dispensation from Fina, the world controlling body for swimming.
Both codes have been told they need to show significant increased participation in Delhi or face exclusion before the 2014 games.
The CGF sports committee originally recommended the two events be cut from the Games after 2010 in a review that followed last year's games in Melbourne.
Their fate aroused debate as the sports, some member Commonwealth Games Associations and individual athletes argued for their continued inclusion.
CGF president Mike Fennell said this recommendation was a practical compromise that gave each sport the chance to show they had a future in the Games.
"But they are clearly on notice that unless we see numbers increase in their events in Delhi, it will be difficult for them and their supporters to argue for an on-going involvement."
Shooting also faces changes after Delhi.
The executive board has proposed that the programme for shooting be aligned with the Olympic programme.
" It is recognised that shooting is a popular sport within the Commonwealth , but the Games programme must reflect internationally recognised ISSF events," Fennell said.
Other recommendations to be considered by the 71 member nations and territories include measures to cap the size of the future Games.
It will be specified that a host city can have a minimum of 10 and a maximum of 17 sports on the programme, of which the maximum number of team sports is four.
Sports have also been categorised in a Commonwealth context, set against a number of features that include participation levels in the Commonwealth, the level of excellence, equity, marketability, and cost to host including the cost of venues.
Category 1 sports are considered core to the Games and are obligatory for a candidate city. These include athletics, swimming, badminton, boxing, hockey, lawn bowls, netball (women), rugby sevens (men), squash and weightlifting.
Category 2 sports are optional sports, eligible for inclusion by a candidate city; and include diving, synchronised swimming, archery, basketball, cycling (road) cycling (mountain bike), cycling (track), gymnastics (artistic), gymnastics (rhythmic for women), judo, shooting (clay target), shooting (full bore), shooting (pistol and small bore), table tennis, tennis, triathlon and wrestling.
Category 3 sports are those recognised sports/disciplines where further growth is required before they can be considered eligible for the programme.
These include water polo, billiards and snooker, canoeing, fencing, handball, life saving, rowing, softball, tenpin bowling and sailing.
- NZPA
