Birmingham, July 27: Anil Khanna, acting president, IOA and Anandeshwar Panday, treasurer, IOA met with Dame Louise Martin, president, Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) during the CGF annual general meeting, which was held at the Grand Hotel Birmingham, in the United Kingdom, on Tuesday.
On behalf of the IOA, Khanna and Panday requested the CGF president that wrestling and shooting be included in the final sports programme of the next edition of the Commonwealth Games, which will be held in the Australian state of Victoria in 2026.
Khanna and Panday also conveyed to the CGF president that the IOA is willing to make a presentation to the Organising Committee of the Victoria 2026 Commonwealth Games to underline how the inclusion of wrestling and shooting will increase the stature of the event as well as reinforce the ideals embodied by the two sports.
In addition, the IOA is working with the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) and the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) to ensure they engage in active discussions with the international federations of the two sports in question in order to chart out a roadmap for the inclusion of shooting and wrestling in the final programme of the Victoria 2026 Commonwealth Games.
Khanna and Panday also requested that the IOA members be allowed to participate in greater numbers in the CGF Committees.
Press release
