CHENNAI: A day before the official start of the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, India suffered a major setback as two of its athletes were withdrawn from the contingent due to doping violations. Ironically both athletes trained abroad for the event.
While judoka Arun Kumar failed an out-of-competition dope test, weightlifter Dilbag Singh was withdrawn from the team after India’s quota was reduced by one due to anti-doping rule violations (ADRVs).
Weightlifting is one of the country’s brightest medal prospects at the Games, but the doping suspension saw India only allowed to field 12 lifters (seven women and five men) out of a total of 16 weight categories. The quota was reduced once again on Wednesday due to ADRVs during the qualifying period.
Dilbag, who was scheduled to compete in the 94kg weight category and reached Glasgow along with his teammates, withdrew from the squad. Interestingly, sources from the Indian Weightlifting Federation (IWLF) said Singh was still suffering from a back injury and did not train during the 25-day preparatory camp held in Birmingham ahead of the Games. “Dilbag has been suffering from a back injury and did not train in Birmingham so it was decided to withdraw,” said an IWLF source. However, the source did not give his views on why the lifter was allowed to stay in Birmingham when he was not training.
Under the Commonwealth Games qualification pathway, during the period 1 June 2022-22 July 2026 the maximum number of athlete qualification places allocated to a Commonwealth Games Association (CGA) (NSF) will be reduced by one (1) if any weightlifting athlete and/or athlete support staff (regardless of whether such athlete is a regular on the athlete list). by that CGA commits an anti-doping rule violation (‘ADRV’) sanctioned by the International Testing Agency (ITA) on behalf of the IWF or any other Anti-Doping Organization.
“If there are many ADRVs committed by weightlifters and/or weightlifting support personnel sanctioned during the period June 01, 2025 – July 22, 2026, the maximum number of qualifying games of athletes assigned to a CGA will be reduced by the same number as the number of ADRVs. For the sake of only those ADRVs committed from 200 to June 10 July 22 2026 and finally sanctioned in the same period will be considered for a possible reduction of the quota according to this provision”, it is stated in the guide.
As many as 10 Indian weightlifters were suspended for doping-related violations as on June 3, 2026, excluding one minor lifter. However, the quota has been reduced by only five, including the last one.
