In a massive blow to India's medal chances, cricket, field hockey, badminton, wrestling, among others, have been dropped from the programme for the Commonwealth Games 2026 in Glasgow, which will be held from July 23 to August 2, 2026.
Chanu ended India's over two-decade-long wait for a weightlifting medal at the Olympics.
Indian weightlifting was on Wednesday hit by another doping controversy barely days after the country was saved from an international ban, including missing the Commonwealth Games, with 53kg lifter Sanamacha Chanu failing an NADA dope test conducted last month. The 31-year-old Chanu, one of the most successful woman weightlifters in the country, tested positive for the banned substance methylhexaneamine, her second offence after being caught at the 2004 Athens Olympics.
As soon as Nooh Dastagir Butt won Pakistan's first gold medal at the Birmingham Games, one of the first persons to lend a congratulatory hand was none other than Indian superstar Mirabai Chanu.
The Indian Weightlifting Federation (IWF), facing strong action from the international body for a spate of dope cases recently, is paying the price for its "lenient" attitude towards drug cheats, feels India's first Olympic medallist in the sport Karnam Malleswari.
Weightlifting coach Harnam Singh is furious that he has been ignored for this year's Dronacharya Award despite his wards winning gold medals in the Commonwealth Games and said that he was more deserving than those selected for the coveted honour.
The Sports Ministry on Tuesday directed the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee (OC) to immediately release Rs 1.75 crore interest-free loan to the Indian Weightlifting Federation (IWF) so that it can pay the doping fine of US$ 375,000 to the international parent body before the August 31 deadline.
Narendra Modi on Friday heaped praises on weightlifters Sanjita Chanu and Deepak Lather after the two made the country proud by clinching gold and bronze, respectively, at the ongoing 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia.
Training has been suspended across Sports Authority of India (SAI) centres since mid-March to contain the COVID-19 pandemic. Mirabai Chanu, on Monday, requested Sports Minster Kiren Rijiju to allow resumption of training at the earliest. Weigtlifting national coach Vijay Sharma said social distancing can be ensured at the training hall in Patiala.
India's doping woes came to the fore once again with the country topping the World Anti-Doping Agency's 2023 testing figures among countries which analysed 5,000 or more samples even as the sports ministry promised an "aggressive clean-up" and an amended Anti-Doping Act after addressing objections from the WADA.
Tainted lifters Shailaja Pujari and Vicky Batta failed dope tests again and face life bans, the Indian Weightlifting Federation (IWF) confirmed on Monday. IWF secretary B R Gulati said woman lifter Shailaja (75kg) and her male counterpart Vicky (56kg) tested positive for banned substances during random testing.
'We are Indians irrespective whether we are Punjabi, Gujarati, Bengali, Malayali or Tamilian.' 'I am the best example of this integration.'
Venkat Rahul Ragala became the fourth Indian weightlifter to claim a gold medal at the ongoing Commonwealth Games, coming out trumps in a tense contest, in Gold Coast, on Saturday.
Bindyarani Devi produced a tremendous effort to secure a silver in the women's 55kg category as India secured a fourth weightlifting medal at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham on Saturday.
The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) has confirmed that cricket will be included in the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.
Karnam Malleshwari's bronze at the 2000 Olympics raised the profile of Indian weightlifting by several notches but little is expected of London-bound Soniya Chanu and the lifter does not mind it one bit as she is keen on springing a surprise at the mega-event.
It has been alleged that IOA treasurer Sahdev Yadav and some other officials are continuing in office in violation of the age and tenure cap set by the National Sports Code.
Harshada Sharad Garud on Monday became India's first weightlifter to win a gold medal at the IWF Junior World Championships in Heraklion, Greece.
Mirabai made a strong comeback from a lower back injury that had kept her out of action for nearly nine months post the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
Vikas Thakur added a shade of bronze to Indian weightlifters' golden run at the Commonwealth Games, claiming the third position in the 94kg category by equalling his personal best in Gold Coast on Sunday.
Jyoshna Sabar won the top prize in the 40kg youth girls category by lifting 135kg (60kg snatch + 75kg clean and jerk) at the Asian Youth Weightlifting Championships.
Gurdeep Singh rounded off India's weightlifting campaign with a bronze medal in the 109+kg event at the Commonwealth Games on Wednesday.
The ban prevents India from taking part in the weightlifting competition at December's Asian Games.
'We feel empowered to perform for India'
IOA treasurer Sahdev Yadav on Tuesday hit back at president P T Usha for claiming that IOA Executive Committee members were not agreeing on a proposal to felicitate Paris Olympics medal-winners
Lovepreet, including a new national record of 192 kg in clean and jerk, to finish third on the podium.
The 15-year-old from Aizwal, who is also a world youth silver-medallist, lifted a total of 274 kg (124 kg +150 kg) to finish on top.
The Indian Weightlifting Federation (IWF) has decided to impose a two-year ban on the coaches of all those weightlifters who tested positive for banned substances across different championships in the last few months.
IOA president P T Usha on Sunday slammed the revolting executive council members, saying they 'seem more focused on self-serving power play and monetary gain'
The 2017 world champion is currently ranked second in the women's 49kg Olympic Qualification Ranking (OQR) behind China's Jian HuiHua.
The Indian Olympic Association's athletes commission chairperson and boxing legend M C Mary Kom on Tuesday denied reports that she has resigned from her position.
Fit-again Chanu taking it easy in training while eyeing 90kg plus snatch lift in Paris
A video shared by his team on Instagram showcases his rigorous workout routine, featuring weightlifting, cycling and running.
When Kasturi Rajamurty won a gold medal in powerlifting at the WPPL World Cup in Russia, she sure had come a long way. From a life of penury to constantly being short of funds to fuel her passion, she had finally triumphed, and how.
The Mission Olympic Cell is also considering higher incentives for retired Olympians and world-class players who want to take up coaching, in an effort to retain top talent within India.
With this, India's medal tally in the continental event swelled to six.
The Indian government has established two expert committees aimed at elevating the country's sports performance.
Commonwealth Games gold medallist weightlifter Achinta Sheuli has been expelled from the Paris Olympics preparatory camp after he was caught entering the women's hostel at night at NIS Patiala.
Bizarre it may sound, but Indian officials on Thursday claimed the four weightlifters disqualified from the Nanjing Youth Asian Games were allowed to take part in their respective events and only their results were not considered for medals.
Indian weightlifters remain unsure of their participation at the Delhi Commonwealth Games in October as the country's federation struggles to cover an unpaid fine for repeated doping offences.
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