Setback, conspiracy, Indian sporting community reacts after 2026 Commonwealth Games schedule shrinks

Delhi: The exclusion of several key sports from the Commonwealth Games (CWG) has upset players, coaches and veterans, who are now labeling it as a conspiracy to diminish India's growing sporting potential in the region.

On Tuesday, major sports such as wrestling, hockey, cricket, shooting and table tennis, in which India has consistently performed well, were removed from the scaled-back schedule for the 2026 Games in Glasgow. According to the Commonwealth Games Federation, this was done to make the Games more budget-friendly.

The Scottish city was not the first choice for the 2026 Games. It was considered after the Australian state of Victoria, the original host, withdrew due to cost concerns.

2018 Commonwealth gold medalist Sharath Kamal expressed his disappointment over the exclusion of table tennis from the next edition.

“CWG has been a crucial launching pad for table tennis players, especially me, Manika Batra and many others, to improve on the international circuit and make a name for ourselves. This opportunity will be denied this time,” Kamal told ThePrint.

Kamal called it a significant loss for athletes and highlighted the benefits that a multi-sport event like CWG offers.

“Performing well at the Games comes with financial incentives and support, such as through the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS), which helps us prepare for the Olympic Games. We are being deprived of that opportunity,” he said, adding that the focus would now shift to the Asian Games and the next Olympics.

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Demotivating for athletes

After news of the removal of major sports from the CWG became public, several sports associations have spoken out and expressed their dissatisfaction. The Badminton Association of India (BAI) called it a setback and a conspiracy.

It is shocking and a huge setback for Indian sports with almost 40 medals at risk due to the canceled events. The BAI is firmly protesting and will be reaching out to all relevant authorities of the Commonwealth and Badminton World Federation (BWF), as well as the highest levels of government in the country, to advocate for the future of Indian sport, said Sanjay Mishra, general secretary of the BAI.

For former Indian hockey player Pritam Rani Siwach, the removal feels like a conspiracy.

To make the game budget-friendly, the federation canceled all the important games in which India gets the most medals. I was shocked when I heard about it, she said, calling it very demotivating for the athlete.

Hockey has been part of the CWG since 1998.

Players have worked hard

At the 2022 Games in Birmingham, India had won twelve medals in wrestling (six gold, one silver and five bronze), seven in table tennis (four gold, one silver and two bronze), six in badminton (three gold, one silver and two bronze). two bronze), two in hockey (silver and bronze), two bronze in squash and silver in cricket. Not only that, India had won a total of 61 medals, including 22 gold medals.

With the exclusion of these sports, India risks losing these medal opportunities.

For Sanjay Sihag, a wrestling coach from Haryana, the Commonwealth Games is not only a prestigious international event but also a crucial opportunity for players to gain recognition and financial support.

You have no idea how much money goes into developing a player from the grassroots level. Only when players get something back from these games do they feel motivated, satisfied and ready to put their best foot forward, Sihag said.

According to him, the exclusion from wrestling is a blow to the wrestlers in Haryana and across India. He said the sport had been excluded to promote other lesser known sports.

India always gets the most medals in wrestling. Other, lesser-known sports should be given priority, but not by removing the most important sports from the rosters.

Our players have worked hard over the past four years to compete in CWG. They are broken, Sihag added.

(Edited by Mannat Chugh)

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