How will India win medals in Commonwealth now?

London: India’s chances of winning medals in the Commonwealth Games have suffered a major setback. Host city Glasgow has removed major sports like hockey, badminton, wrestling, cricket and shooting from the 2026 Commonwealth Games and only 10 sports have been given place in it.

The Commonwealth Games will be held from 23 July to 2 August in 2026. Glasgow had earlier hosted the Commonwealth Games in 2014. Table tennis, squash and triathlon have also been removed to limit costs. Nine sports included in the 2022 Commonwealth Games played in Birmingham will not be a part of the next games. These games will be held at only four places.

The Commonwealth Games Federation said in a statement, ‘The sports program includes athletics and para athletics (track and field), swimming and para swimming, artistic gymnastics, track cycling and para track cycling, netball, weightlifting and para powerlifting, boxing, judo, bowls and para bowls, 3×3 basketball and 3×3 wheelchair basketball.’

According to the statement of the Commonwealth Games Federation, ‘These games will be organized at four venues Scotstoun Stadium, Tollcross International Swimming Center, Emirates Arena and Scottish Competition Complex. Players and their support staff will be accommodated in hotels.’

This program of Commonwealth Games is a big blow to India’s medal prospects, because earlier they had won most of the medals in those sports which have been removed. Shooting was also removed from the program of the Birmingham Games and there was little hope of its return.

Hockey was included in the Commonwealth Games in 1998 and since then it has remained an integral part of these games. Hockey’s exclusion from the Games was also considered certain because immediately after the organization of these games, the Hockey World Cup will be held in Wavre, Belgium and Amstelveen, Netherlands from 15 to 30 August.

Hockey’s exclusion from the Commonwealth Games will be a big setback for India as its men’s team is a three-time silver winner and two-time bronze medalist in this sport. Women have won three medals including one gold. Apart from this, shooting and wrestling have also been excluded from the Commonwealth Games 2026, which has dealt a severe blow to India’s hopes of winning medals, as in the past it has performed well in these sports and won many medals.

The Commonwealth Games 2026 was earlier scheduled to be held in the Australian state of Victoria, but it withdrew from hosting due to rising costs. After this, Scotland stepped forward to host these games.