NEW DELHI: The sports ministry is awaiting a dialogue with the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) on the shooting, archery and wrestling's exclusion from the 2026 CWG before taking up the matter with the concerned authorities in the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) and Organising Committee (OC) of Victoria in Australia. The back-channel talks could also include raising the issue diplomatically, it's been learnt.
Sports minister Anurag Singh Thakur on Wednesday refrained from commenting on the sports' exclusion from the initial programme of 2026 CWG by the Games organisers, but informed that he would be discussing the issue at length with the IOA office-bearers who haven't yet approached his ministry for a formal talk.
Last week, IOA's secretary general Rajeev Mehta had termed the decision as "grave injustice" to the country and said the Olympic body will protest against it after consultation with the ministry.
