Now Reading: Commonwealth Games Need Reform, Not Immediate Scrapping
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Commonwealth Games Need Reform, Not Immediate Scrapping
The Glasgow Commonwealth Games exposed the event’s shrinking scale, after the city replaced Victoria as host and staged fewer events with fewer participants. India still finished fourth on the medal table, despite…
The Story in Brief
The Glasgow Commonwealth Games exposed the event’s shrinking scale, after the city replaced Victoria as host and staged fewer events with fewer participants. India still finished fourth on the medal table, despite the absence of sports that have traditionally driven its medal tally. Athletics star Anju Bobby George said the Games remain a major competition and useful preparation for the Olympics and World Championships. Shooter Heena Sidhu rated the shooting competition less demanding than the Asian Games or World Championships, but said it helps athletes manage pressure and gain visibility for a sport rarely shown on television.
Both athletes pointed to rising hosting costs, smaller squads and uncertainty over which sports will be included. Athletics was limited to 32 Indian athletes in Glasgow, leaving federations to choose among qualified competitors. Shooting is due to return in 2030 after missing recent editions. Sidhu suggested that countries with strong fan demand should host it, while George backed smaller, shared hosting models. The discussion presented reform as a better route than simply ending the Games.
The Indian Opinion
The lazy case for scrapping the Commonwealth Games treats them as either an Olympic sideshow or an expensive festival with no value. The opposite claim, that every edition must retain its old size, ignores host costs and squad limits. The practical test is whether a leaner, shared event can protect meaningful competition and give lesser-seen sports an audience. The 2030 return of shooting will show whether reform can deliver that balance.
Source: thehindu.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
