By Tom Degun

para-track cycling_01-05-12May 1 - The Glasgow 2014 sports programme, which has been unveiled today, has given a major boost to Parasport athletes with the biggest ever number of medals available to them in the history of the Commonwealth Games.

In total, there will be 22 medals available to Parasport competitors at Glasgow 2014, with the discipline of Para-track cycling to be included in the Commonwealth Games for the first time ever.

The move has been welcomed by International Paralympic Committee (IPC) President Sir Philip Craven, who said that the sports programme will provide a major boost to the Paralympic Movement.

"It is tremendous news that Glasgow will host more Parasport events than any other previous Commonwealth Games and underlines the growth and popularity of Parasport at all levels," said Sir Philip, who is also an International Olympic Committee (IOC) member.

"To have 22 medal events included in the Games in 2014, just two years after London, will ensure that Commonwealth athletes can continue to perform on the big stage in front of thousands of spectators."

The move to increase the number of Parasports on the Commonwealth Games programme has been spearheaded by Glasgow 2014 chief executive David Grevemberg, who has strong ties with the Paralympic Movement.

After serving as director for Disabled Sports USA back in his native America, Grevemberg moved to Europe in 1999 and worked for the IPC in Germany for the best part of a decade, chiefly working as the organisation's executive director of sport and international federation relations before leaving in 2009 to join Glasgow 2014.

David Grevemberg_glasgow_2014_01-05-121
"Following the completion of the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) Sports Programme Review, Glasgow 2014 is delighted to announce a final Sports Programme which is true to our vision of delivering an outstanding athlete centred and sports focused Games for Scotland that is on time and on budget," Grevemberg (pictured above) said.

"I'm delighted that in delivering 17 sports over 11 days of competition we have been able to increase our commitments to competition and medal opportunities by offering greater opportunities for female and Parasport athletes and I'm especially proud that Glasgow 2014 will offer more events and medal opportunities for Parasport athletes than any Commonwealth Games in history."

Councillor Archie Graham, the Executive Member for the Commonwealth Games at Glasgow City Council, has also welcomed the move.

"The expansion of the Sports Programme for the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games is fantastic news," he said.

"This will make the Games even more distinctive and will present new challenges to the athletes competing in 2014 and more opportunities for the spectators coming to see them."

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