After the culmination of Paris Olympics 2024, India’s growth as a sporting culture was widely debated. The Indian contingent failed to secure medals in disciplines like Boxing and Badminton. India secured only six medals in the global sporting competition ( 5 bronze and 1 silver). The Indian contingent had their eyes set on Glasgow Commonwealth Games, scheduled to take place in 2026, but their medal hopes have received a massive setback.
Cricket, Hockey And Wrestling Dropped From CWG 2026
In a body blow to India’s medal prospects in the Commonwealth Games, key sports such as hockey, badminton, wrestling, cricket and shooting have been dropped from the 2026 edition by host city Glasgow, which unveiled a pruned roster of 10 disciplines to keep the event budget-friendly.
Table tennis, squash, cricket, netball, and road racing have also been axed in a bid to limit the cost and streamline logistics given that only four venues will host the entire showpiece. The total number of events at the Games will be nine fewer compared to the 2022 Birmingham edition.
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The 23rd edition of the mega-event is scheduled to take place from July 23 to August 2, marking Glasgow’s return as host after 12 years, following the 2014 edition.
“The sports programme will include Athletics and Para Athletics (Track & Field), Swimming and Para Swimming, Artistic Gymnastics, Track Cycling and Para Track Cycling, Netball, Weightlifting and Para Powerlifting, Boxing, Judo, Bowls and Para Bowls, and 3×3 Basketball and 3×3 Wheelchair Basketball,” the Commonwealth Games Federation said in a statement.
“The Games will take place across four venues Scotstoun Stadium, Tollcross International Swimming Centre, Emirates Arena – including the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome, and the Scottish Event Campus (SEC). Athletes and support staff will be housed in hotel accommodation,” it added.
The roster is a massive setback to India’s medal prospects given that bulk of the country’s medals came from the removed disciplines in the past editions. Shooting was never expected to return after being dropped from the Birmingham programme four years ago, owing to logistics.
Ten Sports To Feature In Glasgow CWG
While announcing the Glasgow schedule, the CGF said “Glasgow 2026 will feature a 10-sport programme concentrated across four venues within an eight-mile corridor”.
This ruled shooting out of the roster as the Barry Buddon centre in Dundee — the venue during the 2014 CWG — is more than 100km away from Glasgow.
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Glasgow Green and the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre, which hosted hockey and wrestling in 2014, has been dropped from the list of venues, while Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome, where badminton was held that year, will be used only for cycling this time.
Aside from cost, hockey’s exclusion could also be down to the fact that the Games are being organised close to the World Cup that is scheduled two weeks later from August 15 to 30 in Wavre, Belgium and Amstelveen, Netherlands The Australian state of Victoria was the original host of the 2026 edition but pulled out last year due to rising costs. Scotland then stepped in to save the Games.
(With PTI Inputs)
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