KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 22 — Malaysia’s medal prospects have been dealt a severe blow following 2026 Commonwealth Games host Glasgow’s decision to drop, among others, badminton, diving, hockey and squash from the schedule.
But the Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) have taken it in their stride, saying they understand Glasgow’s need to scale things down and deliver a financially viable Games after the Australian state of Victoria withdrew as host last year.
OCM secretary-general Datuk Mohd Nazifuddin Najib even described the move by Glasgow, a port city in Scotland, as inevitable.
“The focus is to create a Games that can be delivered to the highest quality in a financially sustainable way. Moving forward, there is a need to prioritise what matters most to athletes and sports.
“We, therefore, accept the fact that Glasgow 2026 will be lighter and leaner than previous Games, at the expense of sports that we are strong in, like badminton diving, hockey and squash,” he said in a statement today.
Nazifuddin also expects the 2026 edition to redefine the Games as a truly collaborative, flexible and sustainable model for the future that minimises costs, reduces the environmental footprint and enhances social impact.
“In doing so, it will increase the scope of countries capable of hosting (the Commonwealth Games). The 2026 Games will be an opportunity to set out a new blueprint for the future of sustainable, accessible Commonwealth sport and it should come as no surprise that the scaled down version has come at the expense of our strengths.
“OCM will discuss the strategies needed to confront these issues with the relevant stakeholders, including the National Sports Council (NSC), the National Sports Institute (NSI) and the National Sports Associations (NSAs),” he said.
The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) today officially confirmed Glasgow as the host city of the 2026 edition from July 23-August 2 — 12 years after the city successfully hosted the 2014 edition.
Glasgow, which stepped in after Malaysia declined to take up the offer to replace Victoria, will feature a 10-sport programme concentrated across four venues within an eight-mile corridor.
The sports programme will feature athletics and para athletics, swimming and para swimming, artistic gymnastics, track cycling and para track cycling, netball, weightlifting and para powerlifting, boxing, judo, bowls and para bowls, 3x3 basketball and 3x3 wheelchair basketball.
Some of the other sports excluded are archery, T20 cricket, rowing and rugby Sevens. — Bernama
