Hockey, shooting, cricket, badminton among key sports axed from 2026 Glasgow CWG

In a body blow to Indias medal prospects in the Commonwealth Games key sports such as hockey badminton wrestling cricket and shooting have been dropped from the 2026 Glasgow CWG which unveiled a pruned roster of 10 disciplines to keep the event budgetfriendlyTable 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 editionThe 23rd edition of the megaevent is scheduled to take place from July 23 to August 2 marking Glasgows return as host after 12 years following the 2014 editionThe sports programme will include Athletics and Para Athletics Track amp 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 statementThe Games will take place across four venues Scotstoun Stadium Tollcross International Swimming Centre Emirates Arena iquest including the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome and the Scottish Event Campus SEC Athletes and support staff will be housed in hotel accommodation it addedThe roster is a massive setback to Indias medal prospects given that bulk of the countrys 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 logisticsWhile announcing the Glasgow schedule the CGF said Glasgow 2026 will feature a 10sport programme concentrated across four venues within an eightmile corridorThis 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 GlasgowGlasgow 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 timeAside from cost hockeys 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 NetherlandsThe 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 GamesHockeys omission from the 2026 Glasgow CWG would be a significant blow for India The mens 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 GamesAlso Read Paris Olympics 2024 cauldron could stay in city even after Games endIn badminton India has racked up an impressive 31 medals 10 gold eight silver and 13 bronzeNotably the nation was to enter the 2026 edition as defending champions in mens and womens singles as well as mens doublesShooting was a stronghold for India with a staggering 135 medals to its name The count included 63 gold 44 silver and 28 bronzeThe wrestling competition has yielded 114 medals for the nation including 49 gold 39 silver and 26 bronzesAfter the crickets reintroduction in 2022 the Indian womens team claimed a silverParaathletes have been a part of the Games since the 2002 Manchester edition and will continue to be there in the 2026 edition as wellPara 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 saidThe 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 regionThe 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 GamesThe 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 releaseWith agency inputs