The recently concluded Commonwealth Games (CWG) were unlike the usual multidisciplinary sporting extravaganzas that we are used to seeing. A late replacement to Victoria as host, the Glasgow Games were more akin to an abridged version with fewer events and fewer participants. India finished fourth on the medal table, a commendable performance given that most of the sports that have formed the bulk of our medal haul had been removed. But questions of uncertainty have been whirling around the Games for a long time. Should the Commonwealth Games be scrapped? Anju Bobby George and Dr. Heena Sidhu discuss the question in a conversation moderated by Uthra Ganesan. Edited excerpts:
What is the importance of the CWG for sports in general and for India particularly?
Anju Bobby George: From an athlete’s or athletics point of view, it is one of the biggest competitions after the Olympics and World Championships, coming before the Asian Games. Winning a medal in the Commonwealth Games is precious, and athletes take it very seriously. Initially, in 2002, we got only two medals; but in the recent CWG, our athletes bagged 10 medals.
When looking at the scale of the competition, in the World Championships and the Olympics, we compete with more than 210 countries. In the CWG, there are about 80 countries, and in the Asian Games, more than 40. As the number of countries goes up, the competition will also go up. So for us in athletics, the CWG comes in third place. Most of the elite, top-level, world-ranking athletes compete, making it very tough. Also, it is a preparation for the Olympics and World Championships.
Heena Sidhu: For shooting, World Championships are the toughest, followed by the Olympic Games, the Asian Games and then the CWG. The Asian Games is far tougher for shooters than the CWG, where competition is not even as tough as our National Championships. I would rank the CWG around a 4 out of 10 in difficulty, whereas World Championships are a 10 out of 10.
However, the games hold immense personal value and play a crucial role in preparation. Competing under pressure, living in the village, handling media, and representing India prepares you. Because the Asian Games is so tough, you cannot experiment there. The CWG is a place where shooters could experiment, understand their process, and take that momentum to the Asian Games and World Championships.
With shooting absent from recent editions, how does that impact the sport?
Heena Sidhu: It is a bittersweet feeling. Shooting will appear in the CWG after 12 years in 2030, with the last edition being 2018 where I won two medals. The CWG has always been very special to me because I have four medals and I know how important it was for me to go to these Games. Some of the defining moments of my career have come from there. The CWG removing shooting hurts because any broadcasting or media interest helps our sport, which is not often shown on television.
Shooting is being cut out from many events, including the Asian Games, as squad limits force federations to select athletes playing two or more events rather than bringing top rankers from every discipline. Additionally, issues such as European restrictions on lead pellets, and negative perceptions tied to mass shootings create hurdles. Shooting is considered spectator-unfriendly, as stands are empty in places such as Glasgow. However, Indian spectators want to see it. If we want to save the sport, countries with fan demand must host it.
How do you view challenges around hosting multi-sport events and squad restrictions?
Anju Bobby George: Countries do not want to host multi-event sports due to costs, and they are reducing athlete numbers. This time, there was a restriction allowing only 32 athletes (16 men and 16 women) in athletics. Federations face a difficult situation because even qualified athletes cannot all be sent; we have to carefully select so that no medal winner is left behind. It is sad for athletes who qualify without knowing if they will go. But these are hurdles we have to tackle.
Heena Sidhu: Modern multi-sport events such as the Olympics, the Asian Games and the CWG struggle because hosting at this scale is extremely expensive. Research shows that hosting the Olympics often leaves countries in severe debt and economic downfall, as seen in Greece and Brazil, with China being an exception. I also know that the CWG as an institution is at a crossroads, and not everybody wants to host it. The traditional ways of hosting games are no longer valid in modern times. We definitely need to do something about it.
What can be the options that make sure that multi-disciplinary events like the Commonwealth Games actually survive?
Anju Bobby George: Actually, that is what countries are doing now — like the FIFA World Cup, it was held in three different countries. On a smaller scale, we do it for the National Games, where we conduct different sports in different cities or districts. But personally for me, you miss the beauty of the Games that way. Those who are coming to watch the events will have to fly all over. When it’s together, they can just watch shooting one day, go and watch athletics the next day, day after that go for wrestling and so on. That won’t happen with multiple venues.
Heena Sidhu: It is obvious that it’s very difficult to host events at this scale. Traditional hosting is no longer valid: countries and sports bodies need to collaborate, sit down and find a solution. If a host cannot accommodate certain sports, other countries could host specific events — such as India hosting shooting, badminton, or wrestling — rather than kicking those sports out entirely. This is something that the big sports bodies, including the International Olympic Committee, need to think about.
But I agree on the social aspect. If you go to the Olympics for one month, it’s like a ‘mini world’, mingling with athletes from across the world and across sports. That is an experience that will definitely be missed.
What role does India play in the future of the CWG and hosting big events?
Anju Bobby George: India is evolving and is ready to host big events. Financially, money is not an issue for us. Hosting the 2030 CWG is very important as a stepping stone towards our 2036 Olympic bid. By 2030, we can complete our infrastructure, so that by 2036 we would need only upgrades. Our athletes can train in those venues, and organisers can gain experience handling the pressures of big events. The entire sporting ecosystem will grow significantly, and if managed well, hosting will not backfire on India.
Heena Sidhu: India can definitely look at these Games as something that they can host regularly because once you make the infrastructure, you really don’t have to invest much. And honestly, given the lack of a regular National Games programme in India — when was the last time we knew with surety that the National Games were going to happen — we need some kind of ecosystem where these kind of multidisciplinary games can happen. While initial investments in infrastructure, marketing, and fan engagement are high, getting it right can turbocharge our sporting business. Major global bodies like Wimbledon and FIFA are courting Indian fans because of the country’s huge potential.
What are your final expectations for the 2030 Commonwealth Games and beyond?
Anju Bobby George: For me, the 2030 CWG is a stepping stone towards the bigger dream of the 2036 Olympics. We must build momentum starting now, identifying 12 to 14-year-old talents in schools today and nurturing them for the Olympics in 10 years. India is currently in 4th place in the CWG medal tally; my dream is to see India finish in 1st place in 2030, and reach the top five at the Olympics in 2036.
Heena Sidhu: I am looking forward to 2030 because shooting returns after 12 years. India should use this opportunity to make shooting accessible and engaging for fans. If you think about the last CWG we hosted in 2010, it was a defining moment for Indian sports because after that, we had really good infrastructure that helped us launch our athletes for the 2012 and 2016 Olympics. By taking sports seriously and building proper engagement, India can build a strong sporting ecosystem for the future.
Anju Bobby George is a distinguished sportsperson who is a recipient of the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award and is now the senior vice president of the Athletics Federation of India. Heena Sidhu is a multiple-time champion at the CWG, winning a gold and a silver medal each at the 2010 and 2018 editions. In 2014, she became the first ever Indian pistol shooter to become world number one
