Why is Manu Bhaker not participating at Commonwealth Games 2026?
(Courtesy : Getty Images)
Manu Bhaker is not among the 126-member Indian contingent.
The Commonwealth Games 2026 will be played from July 23 to August 2 in Glasgow, Scotland. India have named a strong contingent for the streamlined edition, marking the country’s 19th appearance in the multi-sport tournament.
After a modest start in 1934, India have gradually emerged as a genuine sports powerhouse among Commonwealth nations, finishing fourth with a haul of 61 medals in the 2022 edition.
Historically, Indian shooters have excelled in the tournament. Shooting has been the country’s most fruitful sport in the tournament, with a record 135 medals, including 63 golds.
Wrestling, the second-most successful sport, trails with 114 medals. Legendary pistol shooter Jaspal Rana is India’s most successful athlete in the CWG with 15 medals to his name.
Indian shooters have excelled in other international tournaments as well, with Abhinav Bindra winning the country’s first Olympic gold medal in the 2008 Summer Games. Manu Bhaker continued that tradition by bagging two bronze medals in Paris 2024.
Therefore, it will be a surprise to fans that Bhaker, as well as the other leading shooters from the country, are not a part of the 126-person contingent travelling to Glasgow. Let’s dive into the reason behind this exclusion.
Why is Manu Bhaker not playing at the Glasgow CWG?
Unfortunately, Manu Bhaker’s exclusion from the Glasgow Games is through no fault of her own, but because of shooting’s complete exclusion from the CWG schedule.
While a lot of sports, including hockey, badminton, and table tennis, have been removed in the 2026 edition, shooting’s removal from the tournament happened four years earlier during the 2022 Birmingham Games, along with archery.
The host city lacked a suitable facility for shooting events, and constructing a new venue was not feasible due to budget constraints.
Furthermore, the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) allows the host city to choose non-compulsory sports events, resulting in shooting being binned.
While there were rumours that shooting would have returned for the 2026 edition, the tournament’s venue change from Victoria to Glasgow resulted in cost-cutting measures and a streamlined edition. Therefore, the sport remains excluded from the tournament, and, as a result, Manu Bhaker will not be taking part.
When does Commonwealth Games 2026 start?
The 23rd edition of the Commonwealth Games begins on July 23, 2026, in Glasgow, Scotland.
Why is Manu Bhaker not participating at Commonwealth Games 2026?
She is not competing in Glasgow CWG because shooting has been excluded from the Commonwealth Games program.
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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.