IOA advocates for inclusion of a few sports in future Commonwealth Games

Kalyan Chaubey was pleased with the conversations that took place between the Indian delegation and the Commonwealth Games Federation.

PT Usha (In a file photo; Credits - Twitter)
By Abhiruchi Rout | Apr 24, 2023 | 2 Min Read follow icon Follow Us

During the two-day Commonwealth Games Federation’s (CGF) Asia and Oceania Regional Meet in Brisbane, the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) made a strong case for the inclusion of archery, wrestling, and kabaddi events in future Commonwealth Games. The President of the IOA, PT Usha, the Acting CEO & Joint Secretary Kalyan Chaubey, and the Executive Council Member Lt Gen Harpal Singh (Retd.) served as the delegation’s leaders. They had a meeting with Dame Louise Martin, President of the CGF, and her team to talk about the growth of Indian sports in accordance with the proposed Strategic Plan of the CGF.

What PT Usha had to say

PT Usha praised the decision to bring shooting back to the Commonwealth Games 2026 and urged CGF leadership to consider adding archery, wrestling, and kabaddi to the competition roster in future editions of the Games. The full sports program for the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Victoria was recently announced, which comprises 20 sports and 26 disciplines, including nine fully integrated para-sports. PT Usha emphasized the importance of these meetings for the organization, stating that they provide an opportunity to share their vision for the future and better understand how to support National Sports Federations in their growth and development.

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What Kalyan Chaubey had to say

Kalyan Chaubey was pleased with the conversations that took place between the Indian delegation and the Commonwealth Games Federation. He expressed his delight that shooting, one of India’s best sports, would be returning to the Commonwealth Games 2026 and pointed out that the addition of para-shooting would further increase India’s medal total. Chaubey said, “I believe we have made a strong case for India to have wrestling and archery back at CWG. The wrestling results at Birmingham Games are a testament to India’s dominance in the sport, with an all-time second-best performance behind Canada in the history of the Games.”

India at the Commonwealth Games 2022

Nearly 200 Indian competitors competed for medals in 16 different sports from July 28 to August 8 at the Commonwealth Games 2022 in Birmingham. At the Commonwealth Games (CWG) 2022, Indian participants brought home 61 medals, including 22 gold, 16 silver, and 23 bronze. Sanket Sargar was the first Indian to earn a medal in Birmingham, taking silver in the men’s 55kg weightlifting event. At the CWG 2022, Mirabai Chanu became the first Indian athlete to claim a gold medal. After the Women’s Fours team won the Gold medal in Lawn Bowls, India earned its first-ever medal in the sport. With four medals, three gold and one silver, in table tennis at the Games, Sharath Kamal was India’s dominant athlete. India did exceptionally well in Wrestling, Badminton, Athletics, Table Tennis, Weightlifting, and Boxing.

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