IOA urges inclusion of shooting and wrestling at Victoria 2026 Commonwealth Games

New Delhi, July 26, 2022

Indian Olympic Association (IOA) acting president Anil Khanna, and treasurer Anandeshwar Panday on Tuesday strongly pleaded for the inclusion of shooting and wrestling at the Victoria 2026 Commonwealth Games.

According to an IOA press release, Khanna and Pandey met with President Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) Dame Louise Martin during the CGF Annual General Meeting in Birmingham.

On behalf of the IOA, Khanna and Panday requested the CGF President that wrestling and shooting be included in the final sports programme of the next edition of the Commonwealth Games, which will be held in the Australian state of Victoria in 2026.

The Indian officials also conveyed to the CGF President that the IOA is willing to make a presentation to the Organising Committee of the Victoria 2026 Commonwealth Games to underline how the inclusion of wrestling and shooting will increase the stature of the event as well as reinforce the ideals embodied by the two sports.

In addition, the IOA is working with the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) and the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) to ensure they engage in active discussions with the international federations of the two sports in question in order to chart out a roadmap for the inclusion of shooting and wrestling in the final programme of the Victoria 2026 Commonwealth Games.

Khanna and Panday also requested that the IOA members be allowed to participate in greater numbers in the CGF Committees.

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