Pullela Gopichand and Vimal Kumar, the legendary badminton players criticised the decision to exclude sports including badminton from the 2026 Glasgow Commonwealth Games.  They further claimed that the event aimed at ‘stunting’ India’s progress. 

Gopichand, widely credited for nurturing top badminton talent from a young age, called the organizers' decision appalling. 

The former All England champion stated -  “I am deeply appalled and disappointed by the decision to exclude badminton from the 2026 Commonwealth Games — a judgment that appears to be aimed at stunting the progress of nations like India,”. 

India's medal prospects took a hit as Glasgow, the host city for the 2026 Commonwealth Games, dropped key sports like hockey, badminton, wrestling, cricket, table tennis, and shooting. To manage costs and avoid "operational risks," the city trimmed the event to just 10 disciplines.