The Commonwealth Games Federation has proposed that diving, which was due to be removed from the Commonwealth Games sports programme, retain its place as an optional discipline for future events.

The proposed changes to the sports programme form part of the CGF’s “Transformation 2022” programme of renewal.

“Are we being inspiring and innovative in our decisions on the sports we have on the programme? Are we driving efficiency and effectiveness to the delivery of this event? Are we looking at affordability and appeal in getting those balances right? Those are the three elements we’re looking at in terms of driving our overall Games proposition to have more inspiring and innovative Games, so the sports on the programme are starting to reflect that,” CGF CEO David Grevemberg told HOST CITY on Wednesday.

In its first draft of Transformation 2022, the CGF proposed reducing the number of optional sports – including diving – from 20 to 10, while increasing the number of compulsory sports from 16 to 10.

The latest version, which has been circulated to the Commonwealth Games Associations in advance of the CGF General Assembly, retains diving as an optional discipline.

“The sports that are on the compulsory programme need to be Commonwealth sports – meaning they need to have the technical engagement, the developmental prioritisation, to promote and enhance their reputation through this partnership and this movement.

“That’s to make sure the compulsory sports programme reflects the Commonwealth’s greatest athletes but also has the commercial attractiveness across the structure. So we’ve given enough flexibility; we have a strong proposition within the compulsory programme.

“At the same time you’ve got these optional sports and disciplines. Track cycling is on the programme; it’s popular in the Commonwealth setting, but the cost and affordability of Velodrome and how widely and regularly practiced those sports are in the Commonwealth and to what level…

“In our last proposition we also included diving, and this will be voted on by the membership in about two and half weeks.”

Transformation 2022 that will be voted on by the CGF membership in Auckland on 1-2 September, when Durban is set to be confirmed as the host city of the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

“There are really exciting debates, discussions and deliberations to go through, to make sure we are all aligned around moving that forward,” said Grevemberg.

David Grevemberg is to speak at HOST CITY 2015 in Glasgow 9-10 November on the session: How Cities and Events Innovate to Thrive. 

World Netball has unveiled a major strategic overhaul, including a move to host its flagship Netball World Cup every two years instead of four, alongside launching an inaugural men's counterpart. The decision reflects growing concern over the future role of netball at the Commonwealth Games, despite seven destinations declaring interest in hosting future editions.

World Netball CEO Fiona Harold said: “International netball has never been more competitive, but the landscape is becoming increasingly complex to navigate.

“We… absolutely need to be proactive about futureproofing ourselves given the uncertainty around the Commonwealth Games post 2026. These decisions allow us to control our destiny and it’s positive news for everyone. As the International Federation, it is our job to sustain and grow the game over the long term.”

With reference to the men’s Netball World Cup, Harold added: “Whilst World Netball will always remain proud of the sport’s traditions, we must not be held hostage to them.

“Our sport is open to all and now feels like the right time to make a clear statement on the men’s game, which is gaining momentum rapidly.

“The resounding feedback from many stakeholders across the game is that this is a really positive step, especially as we continue to strive and build our case for Olympic Games inclusion.”

World Netball is in discussion with members and third parties about hosting rights for 2028-2035, with a formal process due to launch “imminently”.

Netball’s inclusion at the Commonwealth Games became uncertain following the 2021 publication of the Commonwealth Sport 2026-2030 Strategic Roadmap, which reduced compulsory sports to athletics and aquatics, making netball optional. Though the sport is confirmed for Glasgow 2026, World Netball is positioning its own events to compensate for any potential exclusion in subsequent Games.

Seven countries have officially expressed interest in hosting future Commonwealth Games, with Canada, India, and Nigeria are targeting the centenary 2030 Games, while two others (including New Zealand) explore 2034 bids. The host for 2030 is due to recommended by late November 2025 at the CGF General Assembly in Glasgow. With the new hosting model favouring cost‑efficient events using leaner programmes, netball’s continued presence remains unguaranteed under the flexible model, which could leave the sport in limbo unless individual host nations choose to include it.

Speaking in April, Commonwealth Sport Director of Games and Assurance Darren Hall said, “Considering the high level of interest in hosting future Commonwealth Games in 2030 and beyond, we will now discuss each submission further and work with each interested Commonwealth Games Association (CGA) and its regional representatives as part of a co-creation and collaboration phase to establish hosting feasibility.

“During this next five-month period, candidates moving forward in the process will ultimately be required to provide a detailed Games Proposal to Commonwealth Sport. This will be followed by a Commonwealth Sport-led evaluation process culminating in our Executive Board recommending a host to the Membership for approval at the General Assembly in late November 2025 in Glasgow, Scotland."

[Source TBS]: Tokyo Broadcasting System Television, Inc. (TBS) is pleased to announce that it will collaborate with World Obstacle, the Fédération Internationale de Sports d’Obstacles (FISO) and the Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne (UIPM) to test a SASUKE/Ninja Warrior obstacle course event as a proposed new 5th discipline of the Modern Pentathlon for inclusion in the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.

SASUKE/Ninja Warrior is a megahit sports entertainment program broadcast on TBS since 1997. It is currently seen in over 160 countries around the world, and local versions are produced in over 20 countries.

Modern Pentathlon is an Olympic sport consisting of five disciplines: fencing, swimming, equestrian show jumping, laser pistol shooting, and running. UIPM announced in May 2022 that an obstacle course would be tested as a potential replacement for the riding discipline in the Modern Pentathlon after the 2024 Paris Olympics.

According to the UIPM, two types of obstacle sports will be tested, one of which is Ninja Competitions, a sport made popular worldwide by the SASUKE/Ninja Warrior programs. The first test competition is being held as a collaboration between UIPM and FISO in Ankara, Turkey on June 27 and 28, immediately after the UIPM 2022 Pentathlon World Cup Final in Ankara.

At UIPM and FISO’s request, TBS has agreed to provide a Ninja Warrior obstacle course for use as a demonstration of the event in Ankara. This obstacle course is currently used to film local versions of the SASUKE/Ninja Warrior format shown in France, Poland, and other European countries. The Wall Flip, Parallel Pipes, Wind Chimes and Tire Swing obstacles will be featured.

Pentathletes and obstacle athletes from around the world will practice on June 27 for the competition on June 28. The test event in Ankara gives the best pentathletes in the world a chance to compete for the first time along with obstacle course athletes.

Dr Klaus Schormann, President said: “UIPM has undertaken a comprehensive and transparent process to transform Modern Pentathlon into one of the most popular, accessible and exciting sports on the Olympic programme. The upcoming first Obstacle Discipline Test Event in Ankara will be an important step and we look forward to watching pentathletes and obstacle athletes test themselves on the obstacles provided in collaboration with TBS and FISO.”

Ian Adamson, President, FISO said: “We are thrilled to be collaborating with TBS and the UIPM on the new 5th discipline. Obstacles have a long history in pentathlon, and introducing a new discipline that is practiced and watched by millions of people in over 160 countries in the form of SASUKE/Ninja Warrior shows has the potential to widen the audience for all stakeholders and enhance the appeal of the sport on the Olympic programme.”

Sophia Hernandez (Guatemalan pentathle said: “I’m feeling excited to try the Obstacle Discipline, and hoping it will be fun and cool to do. I’m also a bit nervous about the difficulty of it. But I think it will be interesting and a good opportunity for everyone taking part. I have watched Ninja Warrior, I love seeing how they race and it’s always fun. It’s impressive to see how some people manage to get through really tough courses.”

Taro Muraguchi, Program Producer at TBS said: “I am very excited to hear that the program that began in 1997 on TBS has become popular around the world and may now expand its reach even further.  I am really looking forward to seeing SASUKE/Ninja Warrior on the Olympic stage as a Modern Pentathlon event.”

Miho Takashima, in charge of the global SASUKE/Ninja Warrior format, said: “SASUKE/Ninja Warrior, which continues to win fans around the world, represents the culmination of TBS's long history of content development. We look forward to working with the UIPM and FISO to further expand the possibilities of obstacle racing.”

[Source: UIPM] The Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne (UIPM) has opened a consultation process to identify a suitable replacement for Riding in the Olympic sport of Modern Pentathlon.

The historic move comes after the UIPM Executive Board (EB) unanimously endorsed a series of recommendations made by the UIPM Innovation Commission after a two-day meeting in Monaco last week.

The Innovation Commission was set up in 2018 to continuously monitor the composition of Modern Pentathlon and review its suitability for the Olympic Games in the context of Olympic Agenda 2020 and Olympic Agenda 2020+5 – the strategic roadmap of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

The EB met virtually on October 31 and endorsed the Innovation Commission’s recommendation that Riding be replaced with another discipline that enhances the popularity and credibility of Modern Pentathlon, while preserving its status as the ultimate physical and mental sporting challenge – as envisaged by Baron Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the Modern Olympic Games.

The EB decision has today (November 4) been communicated to UIPM’s global community of National Federations and members of the UIPM Athletes, Coaches and Technical Committees during a series of conference calls.

All changes resulting from the consultation process will be implemented in time for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Summer Games – only coming into force after Paris 2024, which will be the first Games to feature Modern Pentathlon’s new TV-friendly elimination format, which enables audiences to watch all five disciplines in 90 minutes within a Pentathlon Stadium.

The consultation process will be inclusive of specific stakeholder groups, namely athletes and coaches as well as media and marketing partners, and the selection of a new discipline will be based on the following criteria. It must:

• Follow the Coubertin narrative of the most complete athlete
• Not fall under the governance of another IOC-recognised International Federation.
• Allow for global accessibility and universality
• Be attractive and relevant for global youth and future generations
• Provide for gender equality and fairness
• Meet sustainability and legacy requirements of IOC Olympic Agenda 2020+5
• Be exciting and easily understandable for TV / digital audiences and all sports fans
• Be low-cost for both athletes and organisers (lower equipment costs and fewer officials)
• Result in minimal injury rates and be easy to learn and train based on athletes’ existing skills
• Not cause transportation and logistical complications
• Fit inside new Pentathlon Stadium and urban settings
• Be compatible with new 90-minute elimination format
• Be compatible with current handicap start and continuous event concept

UIPM President Dr Klaus Schormann said: “The recommendations put forward by the UIPM Innovation Commission are in continuity with the tradition of innovation which UIPM has in its DNA.”

“Many times in recent decades our sport has evolved to meet the changing expectations of the modern world. This evolution has created more appeal for young athletes and families, more value for spectators and TV / digital audiences, a reduced environmental impact and 100% gender equality since the Sydney 2000 Olympic Summer Games.”

“We can be rightly proud of what our global family has achieved, and now the time has come to be bold and ambitious once again in following the strong recommendations of our UIPM Innovation Commission.”

“On behalf of the UIPM Executive Board I ask our global community to embrace change and grasp the momentous opportunity before us. A new discipline will provide fresh impetus to our sport and strengthen the position of Modern Pentathlon within the Olympic movement.”

“The Modern Pentathlon will remain a five-discipline sport and will continue to provide the ultimate moral and physical examination of an athlete, as Coubertin envisaged.”

“In all of our communications with various stakeholders, we have all agreed that we need to keep our sport at the highest possible level, designed to test the physical and mental qualities of the complete athlete.”

“We now look forward to an inclusive and very positive consultation process as we consider which sporting discipline is the most suitable to take Modern Pentathlon into a new era, alongside Swimming, Fencing and Laser Run (laser shooting and running).”

UIPM 1st Vice President and IOC Member Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr added: “This is a very important moment for Modern Pentathlon – and actually for the Olympic programme.”

“We would be making a mistake if we were to take our place in the Olympic programme for granted past Paris 2024. It is not granted for us, it is not granted for anybody.”
 
“We really need to make sure that in that new environment, with all of these new sports that have demonstrated strength and a lot of traction with people and media, we have to make sure that our sport if flawless.”

The equestrian discipline of show jumping has been ever-present in Modern Pentathlon since the multi-sport was created by Coubertin, the pioneer of the Modern Olympic Games, and introduced to the world at Stockholm 1912.

Swimming, Fencing, Running and Shooting have also been retained throughout the past 11 decades, although the last two disciplines were merged to create the Laser Run combination that now provides a thrilling climax to every Modern Pentathlon and Tetrathlon.

The creation of Laser Run has been one of many changes marking the evolution of Modern Pentathlon as a safe and sustainable sport with a captivating, fast-paced format suited to 21st-century audiences.
 
The timeline for the selection process of the new discipline as well as the transition steps will be communicated in the forthcoming weeks.