Commonwealth Games 2026: Major setback for India as judoka gets disqualified

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Published at :July 23, 2026 at 3:14 PM

Modified at :July 23, 2026 at 3:22 PM

Arun Kumar was to participate in men’s 73 kg judo category

India’s preparations for the upcoming Commonwealth Games 2026 in Glasgow, Scotland, faced a huge setback even before the opening ceremony on Thursday, July 23. Judoka Arun Kumar has reportedly been disqualified from the tournament after testing positive for an unknown banned substance.

The 21-year-old judoka was among the 14-member judo team sent by India to Glasgow. He was scheduled to participate in the men’s 73 kg event. However, he has been deemed ineligible for the tournament after an adverse analytical finding (AAF) in an out-of-competition dope test.

Arun Kumar (73kg class) of the Indian Judo team for the Commonwealth Games has tested positive for a banned substance and, therefore, will not travel to Glasgow. Judo Federation of India President Mukesh Kumar confirmed the news, though the substance is not immediately known.
— G Rajaraman (@g_rajaraman) July 23, 2026

As a result, the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) issued a notice of his ineligibility on Wednesday, one day before the tournament was set to begin.

Also Read: India at Commonwealth Games: Medal tallies across editions, most successful players & more

JFI confirms Arun Kumar’s removal; no replacement named

Mukesh Kumar, President of the Judo Federation of India (JFI), confirmed the news, adding that the country will not name a replacement in the 73 kg category.

“His notice only came yesterday that says he has to send his reply in 15 days. We will give him time but as per the rules, he cannot compete,” Kumar told The Tribune. “We can also not replace anyone at such short notice. It is unfortunate as we had big hopes from Arun.”

Both the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and the International Judo Federation (IJF) were informed about Arun’s removal from the tournament, with the latter alerting the CWG organisers. His name was removed from the Games’ Sports Entries System.

“Glasgow 2026 has received confirmation from the International Judo Federation that Arun Kumar is not eligible to compete at Glasgow 2026,” a statement read. “As a result, they will be removed from the Sport Entries System.”

Following Arun’s removal from the tournament, Rio 2016 participant Avtar Singh remains India’s best chance of a medal among the male judokas. Avtar is participating in the 100 kg category.

Fellow Olympians Inunganbi Takhellambam and Tulika Maan are also expected to challenge for the top prizes in the women’s sections.

Where and when will Commonwealth Games 2026 take place?

The Commonwealth Games 2026 will be held in Glasgow, Scotland, from July 23 to August 2.

Why was Indian judoka Arun Kumar ruled out of Commonwealth Games 2026?

Arun Kumar, scheduled to compete in the men’s 73 kg judo event, was ruled out after testing positive for a banned substance in an out‑of‑competition dope test.

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Sushruta Bhattacharjee

Sushruta has spent over two years covering football, with a particular focus on Indian and international competitions. Alongside football, he has reported on a variety of sports, bringing curiosity and perspective to every story. When he’s not following the action, he can usually be found binge-watching movies or getting lost in a good book.