WFI president Sanjay Singh appeals to keep wrestling in the Commonwealth Games 2026
Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Sanjay Singh, in a fervent appeal to the Commonwealth Games Federation, has requested that wrestling remain part of the 2026 Commonwealth Games (CWG) program. His appeal comes when the decision on whether wrestling will be included lies with Scotland, the host nation for the 2026 event.
The sport of wrestling holds the utmost importance to India. The uncertainty around wrestling's inclusion in the 2026 Commonwealth Games has been a matter of concern.
Sanjay Singh, during his meeting with CGF president Chris Jenkins and CGF CEO Katie Sadleir, expressed the importance of wrestling for India.
“I met CGF President Chris Jenkins and CGF CEO Katie Sadleir during NSFs (National Sports Federations) meeting with the Commonwealth Games Federation," he was quoted as saying by PTI.
“We told them how important it is for India and several other nations to have wrestling on the CWG roster. They said that Scotland will have a final say,” he added.
Chances of wrestling being retained are not very high, says Sanjay Singh
It appears that the chances of wrestling being retained are very slim. The sport does not enjoy much popularity in the UK.
“Wrestling is not very popular in the UK. England and Scotland do not send many wrestlers, so chances of it being retained are not very high. They told us the roster will have only 10-11 sports and Scotland will make the final decision,” Sanjay Singh said in the same interaction.
Glasgow, the Scottish capital, will play host to the 2026 edition of the Commonwealth Games. Earlier, Victoria backed off from hosting the event due to the massive costs involved. The Australian state announced the withdrawal in July 2023.
India’s Wrestling Legacy in the Commonwealth Games
India has a significant history when it comes to wrestling in CWG. The country has bagged 114 medals up until the 2022 edition. This impressive tally suggests that wrestling has given India immense success.
Wrestling has consistently been a part of the Commonwealth Games, featuring in the past three editions. However, it was excluded from the Games in 2006 when basketball took its place, and earlier in 1998, when 10-pin bowling was added to the roster.
In the previous edition, held in Birmingham in 2022, India claimed 61 medals. Interestingly, 12 of those medals were won by wrestlers. India managed to win a total of 22 gold medals and six of them came from wrestling alone.