David Gent, the Rugby Football League's (RFL) director of participation, led the proposal to the Commonwealth Games Federation's (CGF) Sport Committee, which includes Tanzania's Filbert Bayi, the former world record holder for the 1500 metres and mile.

The RFL are initially not seeking to be part of the Games, which already has rugby sevens among its core sports, but rather are pitching for recognition from the CGF to help boost its development plans around the Commonwealth.

"We think it would help us develop the sport around the world if we were part of the Commonwealth Games family," Gent told insidethegames.

"I think the presentation went well."

Gent, who is also a member of the International Canoe Federation, had previously led canoeing's successful campaign to be added to the CGF's list of opitonal sports, from which host cities can choose to include on their programme if they want.

Being included on that list is the target of beach volleyball, who also made a presentation to the CGF Sports Committee here.

Already recognised by the CGF, Richard Callicott, the President of the British Volleyball Federation and head of the Commonwealth Volleyball Federation, is hopeful that if the sport is included on the list of optional events then it will prove to be an attractive option for host city's to include.

"We decided to put forward beach volleyball rather than indoor volleyball because it puts less strain on the Games in terms of the numbers involved," Callicott told insidethegames.

The Sports Committee, who will continue their meeting tomorrow, will make a recommendation of whether to accept the sports proposals to the CGF's ruling Executive Board, which is due to meet here on Monday and Tuesday (May 9-10).

A final decision, though, will be taken by the full CGF Assembly at its meeting in St Kitts and Nevis in November.

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