New Delhi: The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) officials, led by president Sanjay Singh, are set to meet Katie Sadleir, CEO of the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF), on Tuesday in Delhi to discuss the reinstatement of wrestling in the 2026 Commonwealth Games.
Wrestling, one of India’s most successful sports in the Commonwealth Games, was surprisingly dropped from the list of sports for the next edition, leaving grapplers worldwide in uncertainty.
India, the second-most successful wrestling nation in CWG history with 114 medals (49 gold, 39 silver, and 26 bronze), sees this move as a significant blow, especially after its wrestlers delivered 12 medals, including six gold, in the 2022 edition of the Games in Birmingham.
“The Wrestling Federation of India officials will meet the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) CEO on Tuesday in Delhi to get wrestling back on the list of sports for the next edition. CGF has earlier dropped wrestling from the Games, leaving grapplers around the world in dilemma. We will get the sport included again,” WFI chief Sanjay Singh told IANS.
The exclusion of wrestling from the list of sports for the 2026 Games comes as part of the Commonwealth Games Federation’s 2026-30 Strategic Roadmap, which allows host nations more flexibility in proposing new sports.
New sports like golf, BMX, and coastal rowing are set to debut in the 2026 Games, which were to be hosted by Australia’s Victoria state but it cancelled its plans.
Wrestling’s absence will mark the first time since 1930 that the sport will not be part of the CWG, while other sports such as archery and judo have also been excluded.
In contrast, shooting, another sport with a strong Indian history, will return to the Games after being excluded in 2022. India is the second-most successful nation in shooting at the CWG, with 135 medals, only behind Australia’s 171.
As per the programme announced in April 2022, the 2026 Commonwealth Games will take place from March 17 to 29, 2026.
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