India's Glasgow Commonwealth Games 2026 Medal Prospects Receive Massive Setback, Major Sports Axed

After culmination of Paris Olympics 2024, India's growth as a sporting culture was widely debated. Indian contingent failed to secure medals in disciplines like Boxing and Bminton. India secured only six medals in global sporting competition ( 5 bronze and 1 silver). Indian contingent h ir eyes set on Glasgow Commonwealth Games, scheduled to take place in 2026, but ir 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 Commonwealth Games, key sports such as hockey, bminton, wrestling, cricket and shooting have been dropped from 2026 edition by host city Glasgow, which unveiled a pruned roster of 10 disciplines to keep event budget-friendly.

Table tennis, squash, cricket, netball, and ro racing have also been axed in a bid to limit cost and streamline logistics given that only four venues will host entire showpiece. total number of events at Games will be nine fewer compared to 2022 Birmingham edition.

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23rd edition of mega-event is scheduled to take place from July 23 to August 2, marking Glasgow's return as host after 12 years, following 2014 edition.

" 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 3x3 Basketball and 3x3 Wheelchair Basketball," Commonwealth Games Federation said in a statement.

" Games will take place across four venues Scotstoun Stium, Tollcross International Swimming Centre, Emirates Arena – including Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome, and Scottish Event Campus (SEC). Athletes and support staff will be housed in hotel accommodation," it ded.

roster is a massive setback to India's medal prospects given that bulk of country's medals came from removed disciplines in past editions. Shooting was never expected to return after being dropped from Birmingham programme four years ago, owing to logistics.

Ten Sports To Feature In Glasgow CWG

While announcing Glasgow schedule, CGF said "Glasgow 2026 will feature a 10-sport programme concentrated across four venues within an eight-mile corridor".

This ruled shooting out of roster as Barry Buddon centre in Dundee -- venue during 2014 CWG -- is more than 100km away from Glasgow.

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Glasgow Green and Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre, which hosted hockey and wrestling in 2014, has been dropped from list of venues, while Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome, where bminton was held that year, will be used only for cycling this time.

Aside from cost, hockey's exclusion could also be down to fact that Games are being organised close to World Cup that is scheduled two weeks later from August 15 to 30 in Wavre, Belgium and Amstelveen, Nerlands Australian state of Victoria was original host of 2026 edition but pulled out last year due to rising costs. Scotland n stepped in to save Games.

(With PTI Inputs)