Michael Cavanagh, Chairman of Commonwealth Games Scotland, today welcomed the news from the Glasgow 2014 Organising Committee that there will be a number of positive additions to the sports programme for 2014, on the back of the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) sports review which reported last November.

The integrated para-sport programme has increased from 15 to 22 events across Athletics, Cycling, Lawn Bowls, Powerlifting and Swimming. These events include tandem track cycling events, in which Glasgow’s Aileen McGlynn is current Paralympic champion and along with Aberdonian Neil Fachie they are both World Championship medallists. There is also a welcome return for the triples Lawn Bowls event in which Scotland won gold in 2002.

Currently preparing for the London 2012 Paralympic Games, Aileen McGlynn commented: “This is great news that Glasgow 2014 has extended the range of opportunities for Para-Sports in general, but particularly with the inclusion of track cycling. For me to be able to compete in the Sir Chris Hoy velodrome in front of a home crowd in 2014 as part of a fully integrated Team Scotland would be a dream come true.”

There was also great news for Scotland’s double Commonwealth Games champion Jen McIntosh, with confirmation that the women’s shooting programme has been amended to make the number of events equitable with the men. Jen will now have the opportunity to defend the women’s smallbore prone title, she won in 2010 as well as the smallbore 3 position event.

A delighted Jen McIntosh said: “This is fantastic news. I was really disappointed when I heard that the women’s prone event might be removed from the programme and with it the chance to defend my title at a home Games. It is also good news for women’s sport as a whole that consideration is being given to gender equity.”

Triathlon is the other sport to benefit and four years earlier than they originally expected. Included by the CGF as an optional event for the 2018 Games and beyond, the Glasgow 2014 Organising Committee has decided to include the exciting an innovative triathlon mixed team event for Glasgow.

Scottish podium programme triathlete, Ritchie Nicholls said: “We are really excited that triathlon is back in the programme for Glasgow 2014 and it has just got even better with news of the inclusion of the mixed team event. Anybody who watched the triathlon team event held in London last year knows just how exciting the team event is for participants and spectators alike and it will hopefully encourage more people to take part in this shorter version of the sport.”

Michael Cavanagh concluded: “These changes are great news for Team Scotland. We have been working very closely with the governing bodies, Glasgow 2014 and the Commonwealth Games Federation during their review to try and secure a number of positives outcomes for Scotland and today’s news is extremely welcome.

“We are particularly pleased for our female shooters, after five years of work on this issue. Jen McIntosh was our most successful female athlete in Delhi 2010 winning two gold and a bronze and I am delighted that she will now be able to defend both titles. We are also excited about the prospect of having more para-sports events in the programme and particularly welcome the inclusion of track cycling, where we have a number of talented athletes already competing at the highest level.”

A copy of the full medal event programme for Glasgow 2014 can be downloaded from the downloads section at the bottom left of this page.