Neeraj will lead the Indian athletics squad.
| Photo Credit: PTI
Athletics and boxing received the lion’s share of funds in the run-up to the Commonwealth Games starting Thursday in Glasgow.
Of the Sports Ministry’s ₹53.09 crore expenditure on training and exposure, approximately ₹20cr was spent on India’s 32-member athletics contingent led by Neeraj Chopra while boxing (seven men and as many women) received ₹10cr. This includes preparatory camps in Switzerland, Turkiye and Poland for the athletes and in Ireland for the pugilists. Weightlifters, training in England, received ₹5cr, the ministry said in a presentation on Monday.
78 doping cases
Earlier in the day, Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya revealed that India had 78 recorded doping cases so far this year. “These athletes have been banned from sports activities in accordance with the National Anti-Doping Rules 2021. The sanctions, as determined by the Anti-Doping Disciplinary Panel (ADDP), include disqualification of results, forfeiture of medals/prizes, period of ineligibility from participation in sports and other consequences as prescribed under the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Code 2021,” Mandaviya stated in response to a query in the Lok Sabha.
State-wise, Uttar Pradesh and Punjab have the highest number with 13 cases each, followed by Madhya Pradesh (11) and Karnataka (nine). No dope violations have been found among athletes from Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Goa, Himachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Meghalaya and Sikkim.
Para contingent send-off
The Paralympic Committee of India (PCI) formally sent off the 28 para athletes, part of the 126-strong Indian contingent, for the Commonwealth Games at a separate function on Monday. India will compete in five para disciplines — athletics, powerlifting, swimming, track cycling and women’s wheelchair 3×3 basketball.
“Every athlete in this contingent has earned the honour of wearing the Indian jersey through years of hard work, sacrifice and perseverance. We are confident that this talented contingent will rise to the occasion and continue India’s remarkable journey in international para sport,” PCI president Devendra Jhajharia said.
Published – July 20, 2026 08:49 pm IST
