The Arctic Winter Games International Committee (AWGIC) announced the sports that will be part of the 2010 Arctic Winter Games Thursday.

AWGIC President, Gerry Thick, said in a press release, "The committee, at the direction of the political leaders responsible for the Games has maintained the total participation numbers for 2010 at levels similar to previous Games."

The total number of participants for the 2010 Games has been set at 2000.

Sports from the 2008 Games will continue with the addition of alpine skiing, which had not been included in Yellowknife because of the lack of a facility.

Freestyle skiing was also added because of the growth in popularity of the sport.

The committee also approved the consolidation of age categories in cross country skiing and an age rotation schedule for indoor soccer to provide a greater opportunity for more athletes to participate in the Games.

A complete summary of the sports selected for the 2010 Games is attached.

Grande Prairie, Alberta is hosting the next Arctic Winter Games from March 6 to 13, 2010.

The AWGIC will be meeting with the Grande Prairie Host Society in mid-October as part of its normal pre-Games review process.

Besides alpine skiing and freestyle skiing, the different sports at the 2010 Arctic Winter games will include gymnastics. Gymnastics will feature a junior female, open female and junior male category.

Hockey teams a the Games will include 17 players and two coaches. The different categories are junior women, midget and bantam.

For badminton the different age categories will include a junior male, junior female, juvenile male and juvenile female.

Other sports will include soccer, basketball, snowboarding, biathlon snowshoe, cross country skiing, volleyball, wrestling, dog mushing and figure skating.