India's sports fraternity surprised and helpless after medal-yielding sports excluded from 2026 CWG

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.

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.

"Unfortunately it is not part of the 10 sports. It is a quite a hit for all the sports which have been excluded. Especially table tennis where we have won gold medals," Sharath told PTI.

Sharath's compatriot G Sathiyan added, "It is disappointing...to see a mainstream sport like table tennis get excluded is surprising. Huge loss for the Indian table tennis fraternity. Hope something can be done. It is a shocker for all of us," Sathiyan said.

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

"Whenever it seems like we are moving a few steps forward for the sport, we are suddenly pulled back two steps. Huge loss for the Commonwealth countries that our sport isn't included.

"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.

India sent 210 athletes to the 2022 Birmingham Games across 16 sports, winning 61 medals in the process with 30 of those podium finishes coming from disciplines that won't be there at the Glasgow Games.

FIH, Hockey India disappointed

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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 told PTI.

The international hockey federation also issued a statement, expressing its displeasure.

"... Whilst we've taken note that the new concept for 2026 has been downsized, with a core offering of only 10 sports, we're all the more disappointed by the CGF's decision...our sport has been played at every Commonwealth Games since 1998, something we are very proud of," the FIH said in the statement.

Likewise, Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Sanjay Singh too did not hide his displeasure and said the decision was taken despite their "best efforts" to convince the organisers to keep the sport.

"It is naturally 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. We tried our best to convince CGF to keep the sport on the roster.

"But if you see, Scotland does not have strong wrestlers, so they must have looked at their own medal prospects which usually the host nations do," said Sanjay Singh.

Badminton, another sport in which India generally does well at the Games, has also been dropped, and those governing the sport in the country described the pruning of disciplines as a "huge setback" for the country.

"It's shocking and a huge setback for Indian sports, with nearly 40 medals at risk from the dropped events. This isn't just a loss for sports and sportspersons; it feels like a conspiracy to sideline India's rising sporting potential in the region," said Badminton Association of India's general secretary Sanjay Mishra.

National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) chief Kalikesh Singh Deo said they went to the extent of offering to host the shooting events of the 2026 Games in India. Shooting, though, was also not part of the Birmingham Games alongside archery.

"This will be a very different Commonwealth Games with many popular Olympic sports not included in what will be a watered down version of the Games.

"We can only wish those who will participate all the best. The Govt of India, Ministry of Sports and IOA did everything possible to include sports which India are traditionally strong in," Kalikesh said.

"NRAI offered to host the shooting part of the games in India subject to relevant approvals. In the end we should rally around and appreciate Scotland's effort in hosting the Games," he added.

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.

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 3x3 Basketball and 3x3 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.

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.

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.

Hockey's omission from the Games would be a significant blow for India. The men's team has won three silver and two bronze medals, while the women have also shone, clinching three medals, including a historic gold in the 2002 Games.

In badminton, India has racked up an impressive 31 medals -- 10 gold, eight silver, and 13 bronze.

Notably, the nation was to enter the 2026 edition as defending champions in men's and women's singles, as well as men's doubles.

Shooting was a stronghold for India, with a staggering 135 medals to its name. The count included 63 gold, 44 silver, and 28 bronze.

The wrestling competition has yielded 114 medals for the nation, including 49 gold, 39 silver, and 26 bronzes.

After the cricket's reintroduction in 2022, the Indian women's team claimed a silver.

Para-athletes have been a part of the Games since the 2002 Manchester edition and will continue to be there in the 2026 edition as well.

"Para sport will once again be fully integrated as a key priority and point of difference for the Games, with six Para sports included on the sport programme," CGF said.

The CGF said that the Games will deliver over 100 million pounds of "inward investment into the city" and is expected to support add an economic value of over 150 million pounds for the region.

The body asserted that all this would be possible thanks to a model "that has been specially designed to not require public funding for the delivery of the Games."

"The 2026 Games will be a bridge to the Commonwealth Games of tomorrow -- an exciting first step in our journey to reset and redefine the Games as a truly collaborative, flexible and sustainable model for the future that minimises costs, reduces the environmental footprint, and enhances social impact," Commonwealth Games Federation CEO Katie Sadleir stated in the press release.