Withdrawal of Indian hockey teams linked to shooting, cancellation of archery events, says CGF president

CGF President Louise Martin said she was “disappointed” after Indian teams withdrew from the Birmingham Games, adding that she had a “brief discussion” with Sports Minister Anurag Thakur on an issue that has already increased the strain. prickly relationship.

However, when Martin was asked if he thought it was a purely sporting decision, Martin told The Indian Express: “I have been told it is a sport. It is disappointing. If Covid hadn’t happened and Chandigarh (events) had gone ahead, I think it would have been since Covid and Chandigarh don’t happen, I think it’s another… I don’t know the full answer to that. “

Earlier this month, Hockey India said both teams would skip the CWG because the competition is close to the Asian Games, where the Olympic venue is at stake. India’s sudden withdrawal was seen as a reaction to England’s decision to withdraw from the Youth World Championships in Bhubaneswar in November-December, citing the then quarantine rules.

However, it was suggested in the Indian Olympic circles that the withdrawal of the hockey teams was in fact a response to the CGF’s decision to cancel the shooting and archery events.

Bone of contention

The exclusion of shooting from the Birmingham CWG has been the main point of contention between the Indian Olympic Federation (IOA) and the CGF. IOA President Narinder Batra even threatened to boycott the Games, but withdrew it after Martin’s visit to Delhi in 2019. It was then decided that, as a compromise, the Commonwealth Shooting and Archery Championships would be held in Chandigarh to give the athletes a chance. to compete. However, the CGF canceled the event after the pandemic.

Thakur has criticized Hockey India’s “unilateral” decision, and Martin said they are in dialogue with the Indian authorities, hoping they will change their minds. “We just have to talk to each other. For me, 40 days is enough time to play the Games, even if the time difference is taken into account, he said.” The Commonwealth hockey competition is really, really strong.

Free vaccines

Hockey India had also mentioned uncertainty about quarantine rules in its letter to Batra as one of the reasons for its decision to resign. Martin assured that the visa situation will be “very easy” for every country participating in the Games and that the British government has decided to offer participants free vaccines.
However, they have not yet decided whether vaccination is mandatory for athletes. “That’s our next discussion. At the moment, we’re offering free vaccinations to everyone,” he said.

Unvaccinated athletes may need to take the Covid test every day, Martin said, while those who received both vaccinations “may not need to be tested every day.”

“It’s up to our doctors to tell us. We follow their rules. I’m convinced these games aren’t nearly as restrictive as in Tokyo. They were in the middle of a pandemic. We’ve gotten out of the pandemic, but it’s still there. That’s what everyone has. understandable, and we need to make it as safe as we can, ”the 75-year-old administrator said, adding that they are aiming for“ full stadiums ”for the Games.

Kabaddi in the CWG?

Birmingham Games could also be the latest version of all traditional sports. Earlier this month, the CGF General Assembly approved a major change to the program of the Games, which states that only athletics and swimming will remain mandatory sports. The host city is free to choose other sports according to the popularity of its area.

This could mean that a sport like hockey or wrestling could suffer the same fate as shooting in Birmingham. The decision has received a variety of responses from Commonwealth states, but Martin said it was made to reduce the burden on future host cities. It should be noted that the CGF is still looking for a country to host the next Games.

– The size of the sports program – before 19 and now 22 – was too large and many countries are not big enough to accommodate it. Some of them (sports) aren’t important to them, ”Martin said.“ So, we’re trying to get two sports as our leaders because they’ve been involved in all the versions. , sports that were previously mandatory but are now optional.

He added that this could lead to the inclusion of a sport like kabadd in the CWG. “It is the job of the property manager to work with the union and say which of them is most relevant to them and present it to the world. As if it is India, then kabaddi. For Canada, it could be a lacrosse.