Rugby sevens dropped from Games is ‘incredibly disappointing’ – Gregor

Rugby sevens being dropped from the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow is “incredibly disappointing”, says former Scotland captain Colin Gregor.

The scaled-down event will feature just 10 sports – 12 fewer than the 2022 staging in Birmingham.

Rugby sevens is a notable omission, having been part of every Commonwealth Games from 1998 onwards.

“The fact that these ones are in Glasgow, back on home territory, it makes it even more painful,” Gregor, who competed at Glasgow 2014, told BBC Radio’s Good Morning Scotland.

“It’s incredibly disappointing. But it’s just about using that energy, refocusing for the next events you’re at and cracking on.

“You hear [Commonwealth Games Scotland chairman] Ian Reid saying that just because sports are not involved in these Games, they can be in future.

“It’s whether it’s used as fuel just to keep competing and keep getting as good as you can in the hope that you will be back in the Commonwealth Games.”

Meanwhile, Gregor, who is now head of operations at Basketball Scotland, says the inclusion of 3×3 basketball and wheelchair basketball in the 2026 Games is “a great opportunity for a sport that’s really growing to get in the public eye”.