India Urges Commonwealth to Add Kabaddi

The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) made an interesting proposal during the Commonwealth Games Federation Asia and Oceania Regional Meet in Brisbane, arguing for the inclusion of kabaddi as a medal sport in the Commonwealth Games. Along with kabaddi, IOA president PT Usha recommended that archery and wrestling should be added to the quadrennial tournament. Although kabaddi has never been a part of the Commonwealth Games schedule, it has dominated the Asian Games, where Indian kabaddi teams have been consistently strong. This move could not only contribute to more diversity in the sports played at the Commonwealth Games but also give India a greater chance of picking up more medals, further cementing their position as a rising sporting power. Only time will tell whether these suggestions will be implemented, but it surely is a fascinating possibility to keep an eye on.

India’s men’s kabaddi team is no stranger to success, having won an impressive seven gold medals and one bronze at the Asian Games. Meanwhile, the women’s team has also proven formidable, winning two gold medals and one silver. However, the news that wrestling has been eliminated from the Victoria 2026 Games may come as a disappointment to Indian fans. Wrestling has been one of India’s most successful Commonwealth Games sports, ranking third all-time in medals with a total of 114. In fact, Indian wrestlers won the most medals at Birmingham 2022. With archery only appearing twice in the Commonwealth Games, India has managed to rank second in the all-time medal total with eight medals. While fans will surely miss seeing India’s wrestlers take the stage, there is still much to look forward to in other sporting events.

The Victoria 2026 Commonwealth Games is set to showcase 20 sports and 26 disciplines, including the return of shooting after being omitted from the 2022 Birmingham Games. Shooting has been India’s strongest sport at the Commonwealth Games, earning them 135 medals. In a meeting with CGF president Louise Martin and her colleagues, PT Usha, leader of the Indian delegation, discussed the growth of Indian sports and welcomed the return of shooting in the 2026 Games. They also requested the inclusion of archery, wrestling, and kabaddi. The Commonwealth Games will undoubtedly be a platform for countries to showcase their athletic talents and bring their people together in a spirit of sportsmanship.