Birmingham 2022 has today announced a change in venue for judo at the Commonwealth Games. Originally scheduled to take place at the NEC in Solihull, judo will now be held at the Coventry Indoor Arena.

This news comes after a routine review of venues, nearly two years on from Birmingham’s bid.

The Coventry Indoor Arena will host the judo preliminary rounds and Final Block, with 5,000 temporary seats installed for the Games.

With Coventry just 20 minutes fast train away from Birmingham New Street and 10 minutes from the NEC and Birmingham International Airport, Birmingham can deliver a compact Games for athletes, officials and spectators whilst also spreading the benefits of the Games across the West Midlands.

British Judo Chief Executive Andrew Scoular is thrilled that judo will once again be showcased on one of the grandest sporting events in the world: ‘We are thrilled to be a part of the Commonwealth Games family once again on home soil. We are hoping that “home advantage” will once again prove pivotal for our athletes and gives some of our youngest athletes the opportunity to compete at the highest level in front of their friends and family.’

Ian Reid, Chief Executive Officer for Birmingham 2022, explained the venue changes announced today: ‘As is common practice for all major multi-sport events, we have been considering how best to optimise the mix of venues available to us, making sure we’re being as efficient as possible in terms of usage and cost, and ensuring that we are developing a fantastic experience and showcase for the sport, the athletes, the spectators and the host city and region.’

Stuart Cain, Chief Executive (Venue) at Wasps said: ‘This is a great extension and gives us the chance to work with the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games to deliver another successful tournament in the region. We’re excited to host the judo and wrestling within the Coventry Indoor Arena, adding to the diversity of sports we’ve already accommodated at the stadium.’

The Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games will be held in venues across Birmingham and the West Midlands from 27^th July until 7^th August 2022 and will be a once in a lifetime opportunity to put the city on the map and to showcase the fantastic venues and facilities available in the region.