India should pull out of the Commonwealth Games permanently because a lack of strong competition makes participation a waste of time and money, the country's Olympic chief Narinder Batra says.

The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has already threatened to boycott the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England due to the exclusion of shooting which supplied 16 of India's 66 medals at last year's event on Australia's Gold Coast, including seven golds.

"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 (CWG) while at the Olympics, we get stuck at two (medals)," IOA President Batra told the Indian Express newspaper in an interview published on Wednesday.

"That means the level of competition isn't high at CWG. It's not a ranking tournament either. So why waste time? We should rather go to better competitions and prepare for the Olympics."

Indian athletes managed just a silver and a bronze at the Rio Olympics in 2016 but finished third in the medals table at the Commonwealth Games last year.

Without shooting, however, India would slip to anywhere between fifth and eighth place in 2022, according to IOA estimates.

India is relentlessly putting pressure on the Commonwealth Games Federation (CFG) to get shooting back on the roster in the 2022 CWG and the country's sports minister Kiren Rijiju has sought the intervention of the British government for its restoration.

CGF chief Louise Martin is set to meet Batra in the Indian capital on Nov. 14 and the IOA will discuss the matter before that to reach a consensus.

"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.

"We will have an internal discussion in IOA before the meeting (with CGF) on Nov. 14. I'll put up this suggestion in the IOA meeting and see if there is a consensus. We'll have political decisions as well.

The Commonwealth Games began in Hamilton, Canada in 1930.

"The entire Middle East does not compete in CWG. The USA doesn't either," Batra said. "As a sports administrator, it is my duty to make sure India has a strong team for the 2024, 2028, 2032 Olympics. We won't achieve that by competing at the CWG."

India should pull out of the Commonwealth Games permanently because a lack of strong competition makes participation a waste of time and money, the country's Olympic chief Narinder Batra says.

India should pull out of the Commonwealth Games permanently because a lack of strong competition makes participation a waste of time and money, the country's Olympic chief Narinder Batra says. The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has already threatened to boycott the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England due to the exclusion of shooting which supplied 16 of India's 66 medals at last year's event on Australia's Gold Coast, including seven golds. "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 (CWG) while at the Olympics, we get stuck at two (medals)," IOA President Batra told the Indian Express newspaper in an interview published on Wednesday. "That means the level of competition isn't high at CWG. It's not a ranking tournament either. So why waste time? We should rather go to better competitions and prepare for the Olympics." Indian athletes managed just a silver and a bronze at the Rio Olympics in 2016 but finished third in the medals table at the Commonwealth Games last year. Without shooting, however, India would slip to anywhere between fifth and eighth place in 2022, according to IOA estimates. India is relentlessly putting pressure on the Commonwealth Games Federation (CFG) to get shooting back on the roster in the 2022 CWG and the country's sports minister Kiren Rijiju has sought the intervention of the British government for its restoration. CGF chief Louise Martin is set to meet Batra in the Indian capital on Nov. 14 and the IOA will discuss the matter before that to reach a consensus. "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. "We will have an internal discussion in IOA before the meeting (with CGF) on Nov. 14. I'll put up this suggestion in the IOA meeting and see if there is a consensus. We'll have political decisions as well. The Commonwealth Games began in Hamilton, Canada in 1930. "The entire Middle East does not compete in CWG. The USA doesn't either," Batra said. "As a sports administrator, it is my duty to make sure India has a strong team for the 2024, 2028, 2032 Olympics. We won't achieve that by competing at the CWG."

Commonwealths a waste of time and money: India Olympic chief

Indian shooter Heena Sidhu on Sunday said that boycott is a strong word to use but if we do not stand for shooting today, it could happen to any other sports as well.

Her remarks came after Indian Olympic Association (IOA) President Narinder Batra wrote to Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Kiren Rijiju, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/india-firms-up-commonwealth-games-boycott-threats-over-shooting-exclusion-239030">urging him to boycott the 2022 Commonwealth Games</a> (CWG) in the UK due to the exclusion of shooting.

"I know boycott is a very strong word to use because for one sport we can not let others suffer. But at the same time, if we do not stand for shooting now, it could happen to some other sport," Sidhu told ANI.

"Last year when we came to know about shooting not there in CWG and our federation president was upset with it. He tried a lot to get shooting back in CWG," Sidhu added.

National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) Secretary Rajeev Bhatia and General Secretary DV Seetharama Rao on Sunday said the NRAI has faith in Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and will back whatever decision the IOA takes.

"I know he had tried a lot to get shooting back in CWG and at that time we were so angry and everybody was saying including the president he also said that I hope and urged the Indian government and the IOA to stand behind the shooting and if needed boycott the games," Sindhu said.

So at that time everybody had the same emotion because it was new news and unexpected, we have won so many medals and to come to know of like this," she added.

The 29-year-old Sidhu won the two medal in the 21st Commonwealth Games at Gold Coast, last year.

She first clinched silver in the women's 10m Air Pistol category before adding it with a gold in women's 25m air pistol event.

According to Sidhu, if shooting will be excluded from CWG it will affect the Indian ranking in the competition.

"It is not just about shooting it is about India's ranking in CWG. Our rank will be low if shooting will be removed and we are not worthy of that rank as we deserve more," Sidhu said.

In 2010 CWG, India had finished second in overall medals tally and total medals won in the shooting only were 30. In 2018, India had finished third with 16 medals in shooting.

"India is the country which always takes the biggest contingent for shooting in CWG. Even other countries are also suffering because of this and they want India to fight for it. India has the muscle for the shooting," Sidhu said.

She opined that England wants games which their people want to see on TV and for that they are backing women's cricket in CWG.

"At the same time England is bringing cricket in CWG and that too women's cricket and I do not know why did they not bring men's cricket. So, I personally feel that England is trying to bring games in CWG which their people like to watch on television. They do not want to spend money from where they do not get a return and you can not think like this in sports," Sidhu said.

"I would love it if people come to support us from other sports as well and we will be very thankful to them. It is also about sportsmanship as we all are from same fraternity," she concluded.

Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games is scheduled to take place from July 27 to August 7 in 2022.&nbsp;

Indian shooter Heena Sidhu on Sunday said that boycott is a strong word to use but if we do not stand for shooting today, it could happen to any other sports as well.

Indian shooter Heena Sidhu on Sunday said that boycott is a strong word to use but if we do not stand for shooting today, it could happen to any other sports as well. Her remarks came after Indian Olympic Association (IOA) President Narinder Batra wrote to Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Kiren Rijiju, urging him to boycott the 2022 Commonwealth Games (CWG) in the UK due to the exclusion of shooting. "I know boycott is a very strong word to use because for one sport we can not let others suffer. But at the same time, if we do not stand for shooting now, it could happen to some other sport," Sidhu told ANI. "Last year when we came to know about shooting not there in CWG and our federation president was upset with it. He tried a lot to get shooting back in CWG," Sidhu added. National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) Secretary Rajeev Bhatia and General Secretary DV Seetharama Rao on Sunday said the NRAI has faith in Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and will back whatever decision the IOA takes. "I know he had tried a lot to get shooting back in CWG and at that time we were so angry and everybody was saying including the president he also said that I hope and urged the Indian government and the IOA to stand behind the shooting and if needed boycott the games," Sindhu said. So at that time everybody had the same emotion because it was new news and unexpected, we have won so many medals and to come to know of like this," she added. The 29-year-old Sidhu won the two medal in the 21st Commonwealth Games at Gold Coast, last year. She first clinched silver in the women's 10m Air Pistol category before adding it with a gold in women's 25m air pistol event. According to Sidhu, if shooting will be excluded from CWG it will affect the Indian ranking in the competition. "It is not just about shooting it is about India's ranking in CWG. Our rank will be low if shooting will be removed and we are not worthy of that rank as we deserve more," Sidhu said. In 2010 CWG, India had finished second in overall medals tally and total medals won in the shooting only were 30. In 2018, India had finished third with 16 medals in shooting. "India is the country which always takes the biggest contingent for shooting in CWG. Even other countries are also suffering because of this and they want India to fight for it. India has the muscle for the shooting," Sidhu said. She opined that England wants games which their people want to see on TV and for that they are backing women's cricket in CWG. "At the same time England is bringing cricket in CWG and that too women's cricket and I do not know why did they not bring men's cricket. So, I personally feel that England is trying to bring games in CWG which their people like to watch on television. They do not want to spend money from where they do not get a return and you can not think like this in sports," Sidhu said. "I would love it if people come to support us from other sports as well and we will be very thankful to them. It is also about sportsmanship as we all are from same fraternity," she concluded. Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games is scheduled to take place from July 27 to August 7 in 2022.

Boycott is strong word to use, says Heena Sidhu on 2022 CWG boycott plan

Few days ahead of the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games opening ceremony, two-time Olympic medalist Sushil Kumar's name is surprisingly missing from the list of entry released by the tournament organisers on the official website.

The official list of entries for the men's freestyle 74kg wrestling category, uploaded on the CWG 2018 website does not mention the name of Sushil among other 15 wrestlers participating in the event.

Reflecting on the same, Indian Olympic Association (IOA) Secretary General Rajeev Mehta told that it is a fault of the organising committee and that they are rectifying the error.

When quizzed if Sushil has pulled out his name from the tournament, Mehta denied the same before clarifying that the IOA and Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) are not at all at fault.

After spending two years away from the mat, Sushil returned to compete at the National Championship last year in Indore, only to see himself mired in controversy for winning the gold in the tournament after his three opponents conceded a walkover.

The 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games is slated to be held from April 4 to 15.

Reflecting on the same, Indian Olympic Association (IOA) Secretary General Rajeev Mehta told that it is a fault of the organising committee and that they are rectifying the error

Few days ahead of the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games opening ceremony, two-time Olympic medalist Sushil Kumar's name is surprisingly missing from the list of entry released by the tournament organisers on the official website. The official list of entries for the men's freestyle 74kg wrestling category, uploaded on the CWG 2018 website does not mention the name of Sushil among other 15 wrestlers participating in the event. Reflecting on the same, Indian Olympic Association (IOA) Secretary General Rajeev Mehta told that it is a fault of the organising committee and that they are rectifying the error. When quizzed if Sushil has pulled out his name from the tournament, Mehta denied the same before clarifying that the IOA and Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) are not at all at fault. After spending two years away from the mat, Sushil returned to compete at the National Championship last year in Indore, only to see himself mired in controversy for winning the gold in the tournament after his three opponents conceded a walkover. The 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games is slated to be held from April 4 to 15.

Wrestler Sushil Kumar's name missing from Common Wealth Games 2018 entry list