Beach volleyball could debut at 2018 Commonwealth Games

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Posted: Tuesday 10th May 2011 | 11:07

BEACH Volleyball could make its debut at the 2018 Commonwealth Games while Twenty20 cricket has also taken a step nearer to inclusion at the event.

BOOST: Beach volleyball has been a popular ticket at the Olympic Games since 1996. It could makes its Commonwealth Games debut in 2018 (Getty Images)

The Commonwealth Games Federation executive board, meeting in Kuala Lumpur, will make a series of recommendations about the sports schedule to their general assembly in St Kitts this November.

Beach volleyball, which made its Olympic debut in 1996, will be a two tier sport, meaning it can be included at the discretion of the organising committee.

Rugby League has been added as a category three sport, an important step towards recognition, while the merits of Twenty20 cricket, a 50-over tournament appeared during the 1998 Games, will be further discussed following consultation with international governing body, the ICC.

Also under consideration are proposals to add women's boxing and women's rugby sevens - both events only currently contested by men - to future editions of the Games.

“It is fundamental that our sports programme continues to evolve in such a way as to sustain the Commonwealth Games as one of the world’s leading multi-sport events," said CGF vice-president HRH Tunku Imran, the chairman of the sports review committee.

“Given cricket‘s strong association with the Commonwealth, the CGF will have further dialogue with the ICC as to the possibility of Twenty20 cricket being included as an option for future editions of the Games.”

The list of category one sports, which must be included in every Games schedule, remains unaltered – aquatics (swimming, diving, synchro swimming), athletics, badminton, men's boxing, hockey, lawn bowls, netball, men's rugby sevens, squash and weightlifting.

Meanwhile, the two candidate cities for the 2018 Games, who will follow next hosts Glasgow, will present their official bids later today.

Gold Coast in Australia are the frontrunners, with Queensland premier Anna Bligh heading their delegation in Malaysia, while Sri Lanka’s Hambantota are consider outsiders.