India's Weightlifting Team Faces Setback: Dilbagh Singh Withdrawn from Commonwealth Games

In a significant setback for Indian weightlifting, Dilbagh Singh has been withdrawn from the Commonwealth Games team after the country's quota was reduced due to multiple doping violations. The Indian Weightlifting Federation was informed of the cut from 16 to 11 athletes just recently. This decision comes as three lifters faced bans for doping, highlighting ongoing challenges within the sport. Discover more about the implications of this development for India's weightlifting prospects.

By Narendra Chaudhary Jul 23, 2026, 16:25 IST

Dilbagh Singh Exits Commonwealth Games Contingent

Glasgow: Dilbagh Singh, a weightlifter from India, has been removed from the country's Commonwealth Games team following a reduction in the weightlifting quota due to several Anti-Doping Rule Violations (ADRVs) during the qualification phase.

India's allocation for weightlifting has decreased from 16 to 11 athletes.

The Indian Weightlifting Federation had initially announced a squad of 12, led by Olympic silver medalist Mirabai Chanu, but was informed of the quota cut only on Wednesday.

"The federation learned about the quota reduction from 12 to 11 lifters just yesterday," a reliable source disclosed.

"Dilbagh has been dealing with a back injury and did not participate in the training camp in Birmingham, leading to the decision to withdraw him," the source added.

Three lifters, N Ajith (71kg), Sairaj Pardeshi (88kg), and Harcharan Singh (110kg), received bans for doping violations prior to the Commonwealth Games.

Additionally, female lifter Vanshita Verma (86kg) was also penalized for an anti-doping rule breach during the qualification period.

This quota reduction marks yet another challenge for Indian weightlifting, which has faced ongoing issues related to doping infractions.