Sports minister says Sukma 2026 to feature e-sports, chess, cricket, and kabaddi
She shared that the four sports were approved at the SUKMA Supreme Council meeting that she chaired today, adding that boxing and softball were also selected as mandatory sports for SUKMA effective from the 2026 edition.
'This brings the number of mandatory sports to 30. With the four additional sports approved for SUKMA 2026, 34 sports will be contested,' she said at a media conference after chairing the meeting here today, as she noted that the decision was final and no additional appeals would be entertained.
This would ensure that the organiser had sufficient time to prepare for the Games, scheduled for Aug 15 to 24, 2026 in Selangor, she added.
The meeting today also approved the official participation of the Brunei Darussalam contingent in SUKMA 2026, but the number of sports will be determined by a special technical committee soon, while the State Youth and Sports Exco meeting, which was also held today, agreed that state participation for the Para SUKMA would be managed by state sports councils from 2026, replacing the state youth and sports department to ensure preparation of para athletes was more strategic and focused.
Yeoh also shared that they would continue developing sports for women following the lack of female athletes and technical officials in SUKMA 2024 in Sarawak, with today's meeting agreeing that for every open event, participation of athletes of different genders were compulsory.
'For sports events contested at the Olympic Games, they will be held and not dropped according to previous SUKMA regulations even if the number of women athletes did not meet the minimum requirement of six states.
'This is a very important departure to encourage women sports continue to provide opportunities to compete, even with the lack of investment and funds from all states,' Yeoh said.
Also, each state contingent has been asked to appoint a woman head of contingent or deputy head and to have a 20 per cent quota of female support officials for secretariat and medical duties beginning from SUKMA 2026.
'Selangor SUKMA will have at least 30 per cent female volunteers and 20 per cent female tournament technical officials. I feel this is a very inclusive Games and many will wait to see how this SUKMA is different from the ones before,' she added. — Bernama
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