Track cycling and gymnastics left out of Durban's 2022 Commonwealth Games bid

Durban is the only candidate city in the running for the 2022 Games after Edmonton in Canada, initially seen as the favourite, chose to withdraw its bid and focus on the 2026 race citing financial reasons, chiefly the global fall in oil prices.

Gymnastics and track cycling are optional sports of the Games, but have been hugely popular inclusions in recent years. Track cycling has featured in every edition since 1934 while gymnastics, first introduced in 1978, has been included on the programme since 1990.

Also missing from the proposed schedule of sports is full-bore shooting, a traditional event in the Commonwealth Games which has featured since its introduction in 1966.

With Durban not having an existing velodrome the potential costs involved in building a venue would appear to be the main reason for track cycling being left out.

Road cycling and mountain biking remain on the proposed programme of events for Durban 2022, with the latter set to be held furthest from the host city, 50 miles away in Pietermaritzburg on the course which hosted the 2013 MTB World Championships.

At this stage no plans appear to be listed for a gymnastics venue despite it being a sport which wouldn't require a purpose-built arena.

Michael Cavanagh, chairman of Commonwealth Games Scotland, said that he was "surprised and disappointed" at the omissions from the proposed 2022 programme.

"We are pleased that Africa is going to host the Commonwealth Games and there are many aspects of a really good bid from Durban," he said. "Every bidding city has choices and compromises to make but we're surprised and disappointed for obvious reasons.

"We had our best ever medal haul in gymnastics at Glasgow 2014 and are hopeful that Scottish Gymnastics will keep producing gymnasts who can win medals.

"Equally, with the history we have in track cycling and now with a world class velodrome in Glasgow where the Scottish Cycling programme is based, we have high hopes for continuing to win medals in that discipline in the future."

Cavanagh said a number of other Commonwealth Games Associations (CGA) chiefs were similarly taken aback by the announcement and planned to work together in the hope of finding resolution.

They will have until the CGF General Assembly in Auckland, New Zealand this September to do so.

Cavanagh added that the UCI, cycling's world governing body, and the International Gymnastics Federation would also need to step up to help influence any amendments to the programme.

"They need to show how much they value having their sport in the Games," said Cavanagh. "Their ability to influence the CGF and Durban is perhaps greater than any single CGA."

One of the key selling points of the £332.5 million Durban bid is that the lion's share of sports will take place within the same mile-and-a-half radius of the city.

But with mountain biking already proposed to be held 50 miles away in Pietermaritzburg, the CGAs could argue precedent in considering other locations in South Africa as a satellite venue for track cycling as Glasgow 2014 did for diving and shooting.

Another option could be to build a less expensive outdoor velodrome within Durban itself. The aquatics centre due to host the swimming events is located outdoors indicating that the climate would be amenable to holding track cycling in similar environs.

Alasdair MacLennan, president of Scottish Cycling, said he had already contacted the UCI to seek their assistance in the hope of pushing a U-turn.

"Durban doesn't need a high-cost indoor velodrome, the climate would quite easily suit an outdoor velodrome," he said. "The European Championships were held last year in Guadeloupe on an outdoor 330m velodrome track. That shows we don't need huge investment and could be a viable option.

"It is critical for the sport because the Commonwealth nations are the powerhouses of world track cycling. It is hugely important in terms of the development and pathway of riders."