African para-athletes praise Commonwealth Games inclusivityImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Nigeria’s Esther Nworgu won Africa’s first gold medal of the 2026 Commonwealth Games in the women’s lightweight para-powerliftingByIan WilliamsBBC Sport AfricaPublished25 July 2026, 09:03 BSTThe inclusive nature of the Commonwealth Games’ integrated schedule is helping to change African attitudes towards disability, according to some of the continent’s leading para-athletes.Unlike the Paralympics there is no separate event for para-sports at the Games, meaning medals won by disabled and non-disabled competitors contribute equally to a nation’s tally.The process began in Manchester in 2002, helping to make it the first fully inclusive international multi-sport Games, with para events taking place during the same sessions as non-disabled ones.”Sport really is a huge pusher for change,” swimmer Husnah Kukundakwe, who is Uganda’s team captain in Glasgow, told BBC World Service.”It shows that para-swimming or para-sport just deserves the same kind of recognition, funding, sponsoring.”These Games were originally supposed to be held in the Australian state of Victoria, before it dropped out in July 2023 due to funding issues. With Glasgow stepping in as a slimmed down replacement, 10 sports have been cut from the schedule.
Despite that, a record 47 para events will take place across six of the 10 sports which remain.
“We are able to showcase what we are able to do and our sports also,” reported Mauritian wheelchair racer Noemie Alphonse.
“We are seen as on the same level.
“For the Commonwealth Games, and mostly for all Games now, everyone follows us on TV, sending good comments, good messages and encouraging us.
“We are really happy that the mindset changed and they are seeing that we are able to contribute to our country.”
