IOA president Narinder Batra calls for India's withdrawal from 'waste of time' Commonwealth Games

The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) made an unprecedented proposal in July this year asking for boycott of the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games based on the decision to drop shooting from the event’s roster.

IOA made the proposal in its letter to sports minister Kiren Rijiju. In reply, the minister had played down the call for boycott and asked the IOA officials to talk to Commonwealth Games Federation officials and organising committee of the Birmingham Games for a solution.

However, it seems like IOA president Narinder Batra is not ready to budge on his stand and now called for India to withdraw altogether from Commonwealth Games instead of just boycotting the 2022 edition.

In an interview with Indian Express , Batra said that India’s participation in the Commonwealth Games is a “waste of time and money.”

“These Games have no standard. For me, these are a waste of time and money. We win 70 medals, 100 medals at the Commonwealth Games while at the Olympics, we get stuck at two (medals),” Batra was quoted as saying by the newspaper.

“I’m not in favour of the boycott. In sports, you never use the word boycott. My fundamental principle is either we withdraw permanently or go and compete,” Batra said.

Batra is now expected to take up the matter with Commonwealth Games Federation president Louise Martin during her visit to India in November.

India have always accounted for good performances at Commonwealth Games with 66 and 64 medals in last two editions. In 2010, India secured a record 101 medals at home to finished second in the medal tally.