The Delhi High Court has urged the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) to establish clear guidelines and timelines for female athletes returning to competitive sports after maternity leave. The court's observations came during a hearing for grappler Vinesh Phogat, who is seeking permission to participate in selection trials for the 2026 Senior World Championships after her maternity break. Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma highlighted the unfairness faced by women athletes post-childbirth and criticised the WFI's current policies, hinting at the need for a balanced framework.
Japan hosted a vibrant opening ceremony for the Asian Games in Nagoya, showcasing its technological advancements and cultural heritage. The event, themed 'Harmonic Heart Beat', welcomed 11,000 athletes from 45 nations, despite prior logistical challenges.
Indian pugilists Arundhati Choudhary and Jaismine Lamboria, both Commonwealth Games 2026 gold medallists, shared their experiences and overwhelming reception following their historic victories in Glasgow, with Choudhary setting her sights on an Olympic medal.
India's Hockey World Cup campaign ended in disappointment after a 5-3 defeat to Argentina, highlighting persistent defensive issues and a struggle to perform against top-ranked teams. The team's problems, including conceding early goals and a lack of intensity, had been building throughout the year.
Indian weightlifter Bindyarani Devi secured a bronze medal in the women's 58kg category at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games, lifting a total of 199kg. This marks India's fifth weightlifting medal and sixth overall at the Games.
India, top-seeded in the men's section, is a strong favourite to win the 22nd Commonwealth Table Tennis Championships. The tournament, featuring 23 men's and 18 women's teams, will see India's men's team led by G. Sathiyan and the women's team by Sreeja Akula, facing tough competition from Australia, England, and Singapore.
Titli Maji secured a silver medal for India in the women's 45kg category at the Asian Youth & Junior Weightlifting Championships in Tashkent, lifting a total of 145kg. Teammate Parishmita Gogoi finished fourth in the same event.
India's Dhruv Sitwala won a silver medal at the Pan Am Cup billiards championship in Winnipeg, Canada, after losing to Singapore's Peter Gilchrist in the final. Despite an early lead, Sitwala couldn't maintain his advantage against Gilchrist's strong performance.
Indian MMA fighter Varun Sanyal faced a challenging Asian Games debut, marked by logistical issues and a medical disqualification due to a weight-cutting incident. Despite the setback, Sanyal, an Indian citizen with Singapore PR, shares his journey in MMA, his 'fighting nomad' lifestyle, and his aspirations for Indian fighters.
Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya has assured continued government support to trap shooter Neeru Dhanda and pistol ace Esha Singh, who recently achieved historic gold medals at ISSF World Cups. Mandaviya highlighted shooting as a priority sport for India, with significant investment in athlete development programs like TOPS and Khelo India, aiming for future Olympic and Commonwealth Games success.
Sharmila Dhankar, a para-athlete who overcame polio and personal adversity, has made history by becoming India's first para-athlete to win a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games in the women's shot put F57 event. Her season's best throw of 9.81m ended a two-decade wait for India in para-athletics at the CWG, with compatriot Shilpa Shyla also securing a bronze.
Frenchman Samai Reboul, coach of the Indian national surfing team, views India's Asian Games debut as a crucial step towards qualifying for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. The team, comprising two men and two women, is preparing in Mahabalipuram for the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, where surfing makes its continental debut and offers Olympic quota places.
Indian athlete Tejas Shirse has qualified for the men's 110 m hurdles final at the Commonwealth Games 2026 in Glasgow, securing a third-place finish in his heat with a time of 13.76 seconds.
Former Indian fielding coach T Dilip shared his most cherished memory with the team, highlighting the profound silence in the dressing room after their T20 World Cup 2024 victory.
Prasidh Krishna was rewarded for his relentless effort in India's Sri Lanka Test series win, taking seven wickets and earning the Impact Player of the Series medal.
Indian rifle shooters Sonam Uttam Maskar and Himanshu Dhillon have won a bronze medal in the 10m air rifle mixed team event at the ISSF World Cup in Hangzhou. This medal brings India's total tally to four, including one gold, one silver, and two bronze. Both athletes expressed confidence and motivation from this achievement, with Himanshu marking his maiden senior World Cup podium.
Kerala's Ancy Sojan clinched the women's long jump title at the Indian Athletics Series Final, expressing strong confidence for the upcoming Asian Games where she aims to win gold and experience the national anthem on the podium.
The Indian men's hockey team, led by Harmanpreet Singh, is determined to end a 51-year World Cup drought, beginning their campaign against Wales with genuine optimism following recent Olympic bronze medals and an Asia Cup title.
India's judokas scripted history at the Commonwealth Games on Friday as Asmita Dey and Harsh Singh clinched the country's first-ever gold medals in the sport, while Yamini Mourya added a silver to cap the nation's best-ever judo campaign.
India's men's hockey team has experienced a varied journey in the World Cup, from winning bronze in 1971 and gold in 1975 to a prolonged period without a podium finish.
Badminton legend Saina Nehwal has expressed her openness to entering electoral politics in the future, stating her desire to contribute to India's development and continue serving the nation beyond her sporting career.
Gulveer Singh has become the first Indian to win a medal in the men's 10,000m event at the Commonwealth Games, securing a silver medal at the 2026 edition and marking a significant achievement for Indian athletics.
India's Chef de Mission for the Asian Games, Sahdev Yadav, said that he only learned after arriving in the city that organisers had removed around 30 to 35 Indian athletes from the accommodation list.
Indian weightlifters, including Olympic medallist Saikhom Mirabai Chanu and silver medallist Lovepreet Singh, received a hero's welcome upon their return to New Delhi after a successful Commonwealth Games campaign, where they secured eight medals.
Ronaldo Singh Laitonjam finished 20th in the men's 1000m time trial, while Harshveer Singh Sekhon and Dinesh Kumar were eliminated from the men's 40km points race in the heats at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
Avinash Sable marked his winning steeplechase comeback after 14 months away, opening up about his ACL injury, lost confidence, difficult rehabilitation and renewed focus on Asian Games gold.
India's Harjinder Kaur won a silver medal in the women's 69kg weightlifting event at the Commonwealth Games, setting new Games records in both snatch and clean and jerk. Her exceptional performance contributed to India's strong showing in weightlifting, which now boasts seven medals. However, fellow Indian debutant Nirupama Devi had a forgettable outing, failing to register a total in the 63kg category.
Indian badminton pair Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand secured a historic bronze medal at the World Championships after a hard-fought loss to world No. 1 Chinese duo Liu Sheng Shu and Tan Ning in the women's doubles semifinals. This marks India's first women's doubles medal at the BWF World Championships since 2011.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay has announced the establishment of a world-class Tamil Nadu Olympic City in Chennai, featuring advanced sports arenas, training centres, and accommodation.
Indian kabaddi player Brijendra Singh Choudhary has been stripped of his silver medal from the Asian Beach Games after testing positive for a prohibited diuretic. The International Testing Agency (ITA) confirmed the anti-doping rule violation, which Choudhary has accepted.
Commonwealth Games gold-medallist judoka Asmita Dey is intensely preparing for the upcoming Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, acknowledging the significantly tougher competition, especially from Japanese judokas. She is focusing on improving her ground fighting techniques (Ne-Waza) and draws inspiration from Japanese Olympic champion Uta Abe to secure a medal for India.
Long jumper Shahnavaz Khan and high jumper Basant Kumar Meghwal, both recent World Athletics U20 Championships medalists, are now setting their sights on podium finishes at the upcoming Asian Games in Japan, aiming to improve their personal bests.
Union Minister Kiren Rijiju expressed confidence that Indian fencers will secure medals at the upcoming Asian Games and qualify for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. He emphasized the need to popularize fencing in India, highlighting its potential to capture the youth's imagination and its significant medal opportunities at the Olympics. Rijiju also commented on the government's non-interference policy regarding sports federations' internal affairs, specifically addressing the Manika Batra selection issue.
India's Commonwealth Games 2026 medal winners, Gulveer Singh and Harjinder Kaur, received widespread praise from top Indian leaders including President Droupadi Murmu, Vice-President CP Radhakrishnan, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. Gulveer Singh made history by becoming the first Indian to win a medal in the men's 10,000m event, while Harjinder Kaur secured a silver in weightlifting. Their achievements were hailed as moments of national pride and inspiration for future athletes.
Former India drag-flicker Jugraj Singh has lauded current captain Harmanpreet Singh as a 'trump card' for the upcoming FIH World Cup, citing his aggressive playing style and consistent performance in crucial moments. Jugraj, who sees his own reflection in Harmanpreet's game, rates him among the world's top three drag-flickers and believes the team is well-prepared to end India's long wait for a World Cup medal.
The FIH Hockey World Cup 2026 is set to begin on August 15, with India featuring in both the men's and women's tournaments. Here is the complete India schedule, fixtures and squad details for the World Cup.
Olympic medallist Swapnil Kusale highlights the growing respect and "fear factor" Indian shooters command internationally due to their consistent performances. He expresses confidence in the Indian contingent for the upcoming Asian Games, despite some notable absences, and discusses challenges like range maintenance.
Greco Roman wrestler Deepak has failed a dope test, leading to his withdrawal from the Asian Games contingent. This marks the third doping case for Indian wrestling ahead of the continental event, further reducing India's representation. The National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) found clomifene in his sample, a prohibited substance. The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) decided to withdraw him to avoid potential penalties from the world governing body.
Indian women's hockey coach Sjoerd Marijne discusses the team's preparations and strategy for the upcoming Asian Games. He highlights the different challenge posed by lower-ranked opponents compared to the World Cup, emphasising the need for effective scoring and maintaining focus. Marijne also stresses using the World Cup disappointment as motivation for gold and the importance of humility and unity within the team.
India's Harjinder Kaur secured a silver medal in the women's 69kg weightlifting event at the Commonwealth Games, achieving a personal best of 227kg.
