Rowing upgraded to optional sport for Commonwealth Games

Rowing has scored a coup by being added to the list of Category 2, “optional” sports by the Commonwealth Games Federation, the governing body of the Commonwealth Games.

Category 2 means that rowing is now eligible to be proposed on the list of sports by prospective candidate cities in their bids for the Games. The candidate cities can choose up to seven “optional” sports on top of the 10 required core sports that always appear at the Commonwealth Games. Rowing is now one of these additional sports.
“We are really pleased with this decision,” said FISA executive director Matt Smith. “Rowing is strong in many Commonwealth countries and we think rowing is a great complement to the programme of sports. Our first opportunity would be 2018, if rowing is proposed by the candidate cities and then that city is selected by the members of the Commonwealth Games Federation.”

Smith said, “We have committed to engage in a very strong development programme in Commonwealth countries in order to maximise potential participants in the Games.” There are presently 36 Commonwealth countries that have national rowing federations. The goal for 2018 is to increase this to at least 48.

The Commonwealth Games takes place every four years and is a sports competition between countries that are members of the Commonwealth. The Commonwealth consists mainly of countries that were formerly part of the British Empire. Called the Commonwealth of Nations, this is an intergovernmental organisation which has 54 member states. The Commonwealth Games is the Commonwealth of Nations most known activity and is considered the third biggest sporting event in the world.

The next Commonwealth Games is to be held in Delhi, India in October 2010 followed by Glasgow, Scotland in 2014. At Delhi, 71 teams will compete. This includes Great Britain being divided into teams from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Rowing will have the opportunity to be included in the 2018 Games. The venue for these Games will be decided in November 2011.

Rowing was one of the Commonwealth Games sports when the Games first began in 1930. It continued from 1938 to 1962 and for the last time in 1986. At the 1986 Commonwealth Games Steve Redgrave, competing for England, won the men’s single, coxed four and pair.

Since 1986 the Commonwealth Rowing Championships regatta has been organised in the year of the Commonwealth Games with medals being provided by the Commonwealth Games Federation. The regatta was held in 1994 and 1999 in Canada and in 2006 in Scotland. This year Canada (Welland, Ontario) will host the 2010 Commonwealth Rowing Championships from 31 July to 1 August. 

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