New Delhi: The Sports Ministry has officially cleared a 191-member Indian contingent—consisting of 126 athletes and 51 team officials—for the upcoming Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, set to begin on July 23. In a firm policy stance, the government declared it will not cover the expenses of any accompanying officials who double as elected members of the Indian Olympic Association's (IOA) Executive Committee.

The athlete roster comprises 78 men and 48 women. Additionally, the Ministry has mandated that a comprehensive performance report, complete with action photographs, must be submitted within 30 days of the contingent’s return.

"IOA will ensure that any person, if he/she is holding elected position in EC of IOA, any NSF or any sports body, whose name has been included in the list of team officials, will be treated at no cost to the Government," the Ministry's directive stated.

The category of "Team Officials" encompasses coaches, medical personnel, support staff, and contingent managers. Chef de Mission Rohit Rajpal is the sole official affected by this rule due to his position on the IOA Executive Committee; his Glasgow expenses must be entirely managed by the IOA.

Furthermore, citing historical incidents where sports personnel have gone missing during overseas events, the Ministry reiterated that National Sports Federations (NSFs) must conduct strict background checks on all members.

Strict support staff caps: No personal coaches

The 32-member athletics squad—headlined by superstar Neeraj Chopra and including 10 women—commands the largest support team, which is led by head coach Radhakrishnan Nair. Boxing follows with an eight-member support unit.

The Ministry maintained its strict ban on personal coaches. While it previously noted that a personal coach's "demonstrable contribution" to an athlete's career would be evaluated upon request, it firmly ruled out letting them travel above the official contingent cap, even if sponsored privately.

Among other support staff highlights, the boxing contingent—comprising 14 fighters (seven men and seven women) led by head coach Santiago Nieva—will travel with sports psychologist Maithili Bhuptani. Mandakini Chanu features as the sole female coach in the boxing setup.

Meanwhile, the 12-member weightlifting squad, led by Mirabai Chanu, will be supported by four coaches and two medical officials, while Nihar Ameen and Sandeep Sejwal will guide the five-member swimming delegation. The para-sports contingent has been sanctioned 42 support staff members for its 11 athletes.

A scaled-down Games

The Glasgow edition of the Commonwealth Games has been heavily downsized due to budget constraints, which is expected to severely impact India’s final medal count. Traditionally dominant Indian sports—such as shooting, hockey, badminton, wrestling, and cricket—have been entirely dropped from the roster.

The event will feature just 10 able-bodied and six para disciplines. India is scheduled to compete in nine able-bodied sports and five para events. Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya had previously emphasized that selection for major multi-sport events would strictly prioritise athletes with genuine medal prospects. (PTI)