India’s squad for the 2026 Commonwealth Games has been reduced to 124 athletes after judoka Arun Kumar was ruled out of the Glasgow competition. The development follows an adverse analytical finding in an out-of-competition doping test conducted by the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA).
The 73kg judoka was declared ineligible on the day of the opening ceremony, dealing a blow to India’s medal hopes in the sport. Arun had emerged as one of the country’s leading contenders in his category after a series of strong performances on the international circuit earned him a place in the Commonwealth Games squad.
His exclusion further trims India’s delegation. The country had originally approved a 126-member athlete contingent for Glasgow, but successive withdrawals, including Arun’s, have brought the number down to 124.
Arunโs journey to the top
Arun’s selection followed a rapid progression through the junior and senior ranks. Training at the Inspire Institute of Sport, he claimed the junior Asian Cup title in Macau in 2023 before adding another gold medal at the 2025 Taipei Asian Open. He also secured a bronze medal at the Hong Kong Asian Open and recorded a seventh-place finish at the Tashkent Grand Slam earlier this year. The result helped him earn his maiden Commonwealth Games berth.
Notably, the development comes despite an extensive anti-doping programme undertaken before the Games. Indian athletes were subjected to two rounds of testing before departing for Glasgow, while competitors preparing overseas underwent tests in coordination with anti-doping authorities in their respective host countries.
The stricter monitoring followed a series of recent doping cases involving Indian athletes, particularly in weightlifting. Multiple positive tests in the discipline before the Commonwealth Games resulted in India’s weightlifting squad being reduced from 16 athletes to 12.
Apart from NADA, the Athletics Integrity Unit and national sports federations were involved in overseeing the anti-doping process before the Games. The programme also included awareness initiatives aimed at educating athletes on anti-doping regulations and compliance requirements.
Meanwhile, the Commonwealth Games opening ceremony will be held in the early hours of tomorrow. Ahead of that, India defeated Malta in Lawn Bowlsโ opening round.
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