Commonwealth Games 2026: Athletes and Federations React to Major Sport Cuts

As the Commonwealth Games kicked off on its first full day of competition, plenty more sat at at home, many wishing it could be them.

Organisers in 2026 ditched badminton, hockey, wrestling, road cycling, mountain biking, rhythmic gymnastics, rugby sevens, squash, table tennis, triathlon, beach volleyball, cricket and, the most storied of all, diving.

It has been held at every edition since the first Empire Games in 1930, until this year.

Of the 22 Commonwealth Games diving events, Anabelle Smith went to the past four, including Glasgow 2014.

Twelve years ago she won bronze in the women's synchronised 3m springboard with Maddison Keeney, but not in Glasgow like the rest of her team.

The Scottish capital did not have a facility to allow for diving, so Smith, Keeney and Co were shipped to Edinburgh, the site of the 1970 and 1986 Games.

"[There was] obvious disappointment from the divers … but also an understanding," Smith told ABC Sport.

"It made sense they weren't just gonna ship the divers up to Edinburgh, disappointing but they'll power on and look ahead now."

The 33-year-old had not been planning to defend her 3m synchro gold medal from Birmingham 2022, but is instead attending her fifth Games as a spectator and part of the Australian team's connection and belonging squad.

She's joined by other athletes who have seen their sports axed, including beach volleyballer Chris McHugh and Melissa 'Milly' Tapper.

Her sport of table tennis was also axed after being included in six straight Games from 2002 to 2022.

Tapper, an Olympian and Paralympian, embodies the inclusive and integrated nature of the Games perhaps better than anyone.

She won team bronze at Glasgow 2014 and singles gold on home soil on the Gold Coast in 2018, and is still getting the chance to flash her skills in the team lounge at the decked-out Glasgow Argyle Hotel.

"I've got a little bit of a call-up having the table tennis table in there," she said.

"We've had plenty of athletes and even some staff come through and challenge. Being around athletes everyone's competitive. It's a lot of fun.

"So even though table tennis isn't technically in the Games, it's still a part of the Games."

Table tennis was a "core sport" for the Commonwealth Games and falls into the category of many of the 2026 events, in that it could be held in existing halls.

Field hockey, however, requires a bit more space and bespoke facilities. Its history in the Commonwealth Games is not quite as long as diving's, but it had an elevated status as a "core sport".

In 2014, it was held at the Glasgow National Hockey Centre, which remains operational and is located along the River Clyde, within the 13-kilometre corridor of the pared-back 2026 Games.

When cuts were being made for 2026, the International Hockey Federation (FIH) and Commonwealth member nations lobbied for the sport's inclusion, but they missed out as organisers opted largely for indoor sports with athletics the only outdoor event.

The Kookaburras have won all seven men's gold medals since 1998, while the Hockeyroos have also never missed the podium, boasting four gold, two silver and a bronze.

Kookaburras captain Eddie Ockenden carried the flag in the Birmingham 2022 opening ceremony, as evidence of the sport's standing in Australia's Commonwealth Games movement, so Hockey Australia was "naturally disappointed" to miss out in 2026.

"Our national teams only play a finite number of international tournaments, making every opportunity to compete in one incredibly valuable," high performance director Bernard Savage said.

"The Commonwealth Games have always been one of those opportunities that our teams have genuinely looked forward to. Beyond the competition itself, the Commonwealth Games provide a unique multi-sport environment that our athletes look forward to and aspire to be a part of.

"The broader interest in the Games has provided an opportunity for our athletes and teams to inspire the next generation of hockey players across Australia and the Commonwealth.

"While this has been disappointing news, our focus remains firmly on our preparation for the 2026 FIH Hockey World Cup."

The World Cup will be played in Belgium and The Netherlands from August 15-30, shortly after the end of the Glasgow Games.