Editing Commonwealth Games (section)

== Commonwealth sports ==
{{further|Commonwealth Games sports|Commonwealth Games records}}

Unlike other sporting events, the Commonwealth Games have a flexible sporting programme that respects the infrastructure and demands of the host city. This is also reflected in its holding dates, which may vary according to the weather conditions of each host city. Therefore, the programme for each edition varies. Between 1930 and 1994, only individual events were part of the programme and it was only in 1998 that authorisation was given for the addition of team sports. It is common for each edition since then to have a list of seven to ten mandatory sports that must be played in this edition and must be approved 4 years in advance. Thus, the minimum number of sports per edition is 10 and the maximum is of 17. However, local demands can also increase the number of sports contested. Notable cases are freestyle wrestling in Delhi 2010 and beach volleyball in Gold Coast 2018. Special exceptions can also be made, such as the one in the last edition held in Birmingham, England, in which 3 extra sports were added to the programme.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://thecgf.com/sites/default/files/2018-03/constitution.pdf|title=Commonwealth Games Charter|website=thecgf.com|language=en|access-date=3 September 2020|archive-date=13 July 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190713120807/https://thecgf.com/sites/default/files/2018-03/constitution.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> The current rules also determine gender parity, whereby men and women have an equal (or broadly equal) share of events.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.scotsman.com/sport/more-in-sport/level-playing-field-for-women-at-2018-commonwealth-games-1-4251310|title=Level playing field for women at 2018 Commonwealth Games|date=7 October 2016|newspaper=[[The Scotsman]]|access-date=7 October 2016|location=Edinburgh, Scotland|archive-date=9 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161009205111/http://www.scotsman.com/sport/more-in-sport/level-playing-field-for-women-at-2018-commonwealth-games-1-4251310|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.insidethegames.biz/index.php/articles/1042362/gold-coast-2018-to-offer-same-amount-of-medals-for-men-and-women-after-seven-events-added|title=Gold Coast 2018 to offer same amount of medals for men and women after seven events added|last1=McKay|first1=Duncan|date=7 October 2016|website=Insidethegames.biz|publisher=Dunsar Media|access-date=7 October 2016|archive-date=8 February 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170208034918/http://www.insidethegames.biz/index.php/articles/1042362/gold-coast-2018-to-offer-same-amount-of-medals-for-men-and-women-after-seven-events-added|url-status=live}}</ref>

There are a total of 23 sports (with three multi-disciplinary sports) and a ten  [[para-sports]] which are approved by the Commonwealth Games Federation.

{|cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="margin:1em auto;"
|-
|valign="top"|

{|class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!Sport
!Type
!Years
|-
|[[Archery at the Commonwealth Games|Archery]]
|Core
|1982, 2010
|-
|[[Athletics at the Commonwealth Games|Athletics]]
|Core
|1930–present
|-
|[[Athletics at the Commonwealth Games|Para Athletics]]
|Core
|1994, 2002–present<ref name = cgfead>{{cite web|url =https://www.thecgf.com/sports/ead.asp|title = Elite Athletes with a Disability (EAD)|website = Commonwealth Sports|publisher = Commonwealth Games Federation|url-status = dead|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180228223559/https://thecgf.com/sports/ead.asp|archive-date = 28 February 2018}}</ref>
|-
|[[Badminton at the Commonwealth Games|Badminton]]
|Core
|1966–2022
|-
|[[Basketball at the Commonwealth Games|Basketball]]
|
|2006, 2018
|-
|[[Basketball at the Commonwealth Games|Basketball 3x3]]
|Core
|2022–present
|-
|[[Boxing at the Commonwealth Games|Boxing]]
|Core
|1930–present
|-
|[[Cricket at the Commonwealth Games|Cricket]]
|Core
|1998, 2022
|-
|[[Cycling at the Commonwealth Games|Cycling (Mountain Bike)]]
|Core<ref name = cgfsports>{{cite web|url = https://www.thecgf.com/sports/|title = Sports Programme|website = Commonwealth Sports|publisher = Commonwealth Games Federation|url-status = dead|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180228223656/https://www.thecgf.com/sports/|archive-date = 28 February 2018}}</ref>
|2002–2006, 2014–present
|-
|[[Cycling at the Commonwealth Games|Cycling (Para Track)]]
|Core<ref name = cgfsports/>
|2014–present
|-
|[[Cycling at the Commonwealth Games|Cycling (Road)]]
|Core<ref name = cgfsports/>
|1938–present
|-
|[[Cycling at the Commonwealth Games|Cycling (Track)]]
|Core<ref name = cgfsports/>
|1934–present
|-
|[[Diving at the Commonwealth Games|Diving]]
|
|1930–2022
|-
|[[Hockey at the Commonwealth Games|Hockey]]
|Core
|1998–2022
|-
|[[Gymnastics at the Commonwealth Games|Gymnastics (Artistic)]]
|Core<ref name = cgfsports/>
|1978, 1990–present
|-
|[[Gymnastics at the Commonwealth Games|Gymnastics (Rhythmic)]]
|Optional
|1978, 1990–1998, 2006–present
|-
|[[Judo at the Commonwealth Games|Judo]]
|Core<ref name = cgfsports/>
|1990, 2002, 2014 (Optional), 2022-present
|-
|[[Lawn bowls at the Commonwealth Games|Lawn bowls]]
|Core
|1930–1962, 1970–present
|-
|}

|valign="top"|

{|class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!Sport
!Type
!Years
|-
|[[Lawn bowls at the Commonwealth Games|Para lawn bowls]]
|Core
|1994, 2002, 2014–present<ref name = cgfead/>
|-
|[[Netball at the Commonwealth Games|Netball (Women)]]
|Core
|1998–present
|-
|[[Weightlifting at the Commonwealth Games|Powerlifting]]
|Core
|2002–present<ref name = cgfead/>
|-
|[[Rugby sevens at the Commonwealth Games|Rugby sevens]]
|Core
|1998–2022
|-
|[[Shooting at the Commonwealth Games|Shooting]]
|Optional
|1966, 1974–2018
|-
|[[Squash at the Commonwealth Games|Squash]]
|Core
|1998–2022
|-
|[[Swimming at the Commonwealth Games|Swimming]]
|Core
|1930–present
|-
|[[Swimming at the Commonwealth Games|Para swimming]]
|Core
|2002–present<ref name = cgfead/>
|-
|[[Table tennis at the Commonwealth Games|Table tennis]]
|Core<ref name="cgfsports" />
|2002–2022
|-
|[[Table tennis at the Commonwealth Games|Para table tennis]]
|Optional<ref name="cgfsports" />
|2002–2022
|-
|[[Triathlon at the Commonwealth Games|Triathlon]]
|Core<ref name="cgfsports" />
|2002–2006, 2014–2022
|-
|[[Beach volleyball|Volleyball (beach)]]
|Optional
|2018–2022
|-
|[[Weightlifting at the Commonwealth Games|Weightlifting]]
|Core
|1950–present
|-
|[[Wrestling at the Commonwealth Games|Wrestling (Freestyle)]]
|Core<ref name="cgfsports" />
|1930–1986, 1994, 2002, 2010–2022
|}
|}

In 2015, the Commonwealth Games Federation agreed large changes to the programme which increased the number of core sports, while removing a number of optionals, those removed are listed below.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hostcity.com/news/event-bidding/commonwealth-games-transformed-attract-aspiring-cities|title=Commonwealth Games transformed to attract aspiring cities|date=2 April 2015|last=Avison|first=Ben|access-date=4 November 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180228223534/http://www.hostcity.com/news/event-bidding/commonwealth-games-transformed-attract-aspiring-cities|archive-date=28 February 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

{|cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="margin:1em auto;"
|-
|valign="top"|

{|class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!Sport
!Type
!Years
|-
|[[Canoeing]]
|Optional
|Never<ref>{{cite web|url=http://commonwealthdelhi2010.blogspot.com/2010/06/canoeing-closer-to-being-full-medal.html|title=Canoeing closer to being a full-medal event|publisher=Commonwealthdelhi2010.blogspot.com|date=11 June 2010|access-date=26 October 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101125164430/http://commonwealthdelhi2010.blogspot.com/2010/06/canoeing-closer-to-being-full-medal.html|archive-date=25 November 2010|url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
|[[Rowing at the Commonwealth Games|Rowing]]
|Optional
|1930, 1938–1962, 1986
|-
|[[Sailing (sport)|Sailing]]
|Optional
|Never
|-
|[[Softball]]
|Optional
|Never
|-
|[[Synchronised swimming at the Commonwealth Games|Synchronised swimming]]
|Optional
|Core between 1986 and 2006
|-
|}

|valign="top"|

{|class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!Sport
!Type
!Years
|-
|[[Taekwondo]]
|Optional
|Never
|-
|[[Tennis at the Commonwealth Games|Tennis]]
|Optional
|2010
|-
|[[Ten-pin bowling]]
|Optional
|1998
|-
|[[Wrestling at the Commonwealth Games|Wrestling (Greco-Roman)]]
|Optional
|2010
|}

|}

Sports such as the following are sports which have been analysed by the Commonwealth Games Federation but which are deemed to need expansion in areas such as participation levels within the Commonwealth both at a national (International Federation) and grassroots athletics level, Marketability, Television Rights, Equity, and Hosting Expenses, per Regulation 6 of the Commonwealth Games Constitution;<ref name="CGFConstitutionRegulation6">[https://thecgf.com/sites/default/files/2018-03/constitution.pdf]. {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190713120807/https://thecgf.com/sites/default/files/2018-03/constitution.pdf|date=13 July 2019}}. [[Commonwealth Games Federation]]. Retrieved 27 July 2022.</ref> host nations may not pick these sports for their program until the Federation's requirements are fulfilled.<ref name=Sports>[http://www.thecgf.com/sports/ Sports Programme] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130502101439/http://www.thecgf.com/sports/|date=2 May 2013 }}. [[Commonwealth Games Federation]]. Retrieved 4 June 2016.</ref>

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|-
|valign="top"|

{|class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!Sport
!Type
!Years
|-
|[[Billiards]]
|Recognised
|Never
|-
|[[Fencing at the Commonwealth Games|Fencing]]
|Recognised
|1950–1970
|-
|Association Football
|Recognised
|Never
|-
|[[Golf]]
|Recognised
|2026
|-
|[[European Handball|Handball]]
|Recognised
|Never
|-
|}

|valign="top"|

{|class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!Sport
!Type
!Years
|-
|[[Life saving]]
|Recognised
|Never
|-
|[[Rugby league]]
|Recognised
|Never
|-
|[[Volleyball]] (indoor)
|Recognised
|Never
|-
|[[Water Polo]]
|Recognised
|1950
|-
|}

|}