Doping Scandal Rocks India's Commonwealth Games Hopes in Glasgow

Just as the Commonwealth Games 2026 kicked off in Glasgow, Scotland, India's medal dreams have taken a major hit with multiple doping scandals shaking its judo and weightlifting teams. Two top judokas, including a past medalist, have been withdrawn, alongside a significant reduction in the weightlifting squad size due to a string of recent doping violations by Indian athletes. This setback casts a long shadow over India's performance in events where it traditionally shines. The Indian judo contingent lost medal prospect Arun Kumar for failing an out-of-competition dope test, while Birmingham 2022 silver medalist Tulika Maan was provisionally suspended for three 'whereabouts failures' – a serious anti-doping rule violation. Meanwhile, the weightlifting team, a powerhouse for India at previous Games, saw its allowed number of athletes slashed from 16 to 11 after five positive doping cases were reported within the qualification period from June 2025 to July 2026. This forced the withdrawal of lifter Dilbagh Singh, compounding the challenge as key sports like wrestling and shooting are not even part of the Glasgow Games. With these critical withdrawals and quota cuts, India faces an uphill battle to match its impressive 2022 medal tally. The National Anti-Doping Agency increased vigilance, along with the Sports Ministry's plan to criminalize doping, shows a tougher stance, but the immediate impact on athlete morale and competitive strength in Glasgow is undeniable. All eyes will be on how the remaining Indian athletes step up to fill this sudden void.