Sports fraternity shocked after medal-yielding events excluded

India’s leading sportspersons and administrators expressed surprise and helplessness after the country’s medal prospects took a hit with the exclusion of hockey, shooting, cricket, badminton and wrestling from the roster of a heavily scaled-down 2026 Glasgow Commonwealth Games.

It is very disappointing. India has always been a very strong wrestling nation at the CWG.

It’s definitely going to hurt the wrestling community in India. — Sanjay Singh, WFI chief

A very strange move. India is one of the biggest Commonwealth nations playing in the event. It’s really unfortunate.

Parupalli Kashyap, shuttler

Relocated to the Scottish capital after Victoria’s withdrawal as host due to an increase in projected costs, the Games will feature just 10 events, which is nine less than the previous edition held in 2022 in Birmingham.

Table tennis, squash and archery are also not part of what will be a massively pruned down Games. The organisers have said having lesser events at just four venues will ensure that the showpiece is able to manage the financial and operational risks involved.

But the roster has stunned the Indian sports fraternity.

“It’s a shocking news and very disappointing but it’s not in our hands,” said Harmanpreet Singh, under whose captaincy the Indian men’s hockey team won a bronze medal at the Paris Olympics in August.

Table tennis great Sharath Kamal, who has won innumerable medals at Commonwealth Games over the last two decades, understood the impact the games organisers’ decision could have on the country’s overall tally.

“It is a pity that table tennis has been taken off the CWG programme but the organisers have informed they had very short notice as it moved from Melbourne to Glasgow.

One of the country’s finest squash players, Dipika Pallikal expressed her disappointment when reached out for a reaction.

“I think squash really deserves to be part of all the multi sport events and it’s definitely a huge loss that our sport cannot be showcased at the CWG,” she said.

FIH, Hockey India disappointed

The news of hockey’s omission from the program did not go down well with the sport’s global governing body (FIH) as well as Hockey India.

“Most of the medal winning sports for India have been dropped. The IOA should take up the matter. On our part, we have put our grievances to FIH and they are taking up the matter with CGF,” Hockey India secretary general Bhola Nath Singh said.