By Francis Ajuonuma, With agency reports
Nigeria’s hope to feature in the Beach Volleyball event of the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham has been dashed after the country was excluded from the list of the 24 teams set to compete across the men’s and women’s events at the games.

Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Gambia and Rwanda secured direct qualification to the men’s event due to their world rankings.

England will compete as the host Commonwealth Games Association, with South Africa, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Cyprus, Sri Lanka and Tuvalu securing continental berths.

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Maldives completes the field for the men’s event after being granted a bipartite invitation.

Canada, Australia, Vanuatu, New Zealand and Cyprus secured the five direct qualification spots for the women’s event, with England also set to compete.

Scotland, Trinidad and Tobago, Sri Lanka, Solomon Islands and Ghana earned continental quotas, with Kenya receiving the bipartite spot.
Ghana, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, South Africa and Gambia will compete in beach volleyball competition at the Games for the first time.

Birmingham 2022 will mark the second appearance of beach volleyball at the Commonwealth Games, following the sport’s debut at Gold Coast 2018.
“I am excited to see such a broad and talented group of teams representing beach volleyball in Birmingham this summer in their pursuit of Commonwealth gold,” said Ary Graça, International Volleyball Federation President.

“The Commonwealth Games is a key multi-sport event in the global sporting calendar, and I have no doubt the beach volleyball competition will showcase the very best of our sport.

“The array of national teams representing our sport at the event is testament to the global appeal of beach volleyball and the impact of our efforts to develop the sport worldwide.

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“We will also see even more countries represented in beach volleyball at Birmingham 2022 than at the sport’s debut at Gold Coast 2018.”
Australia’s Chris McHugh and Damien Schumann won the men’s event in front of a home crowd at Gold Coast 2018.

The pair overcame Canada’s Sam Pedlow and Sam Schacter 21-19, 18-21, 18-16 in the gold medal match.
New Zealand’s Ben and Sam O’Dea were the bronze medallists.

Canada’s Melissa Humana-Paredes and Sarah Pavan won the women’s final 21-19, 22-20 against Australia’s Mariafe Artacho del Solar and Taliqua Clancy.