CWG 2026: Why Did Judoka Arun Kumar Depart From Commonwealth Games? EXPLAINED

CWG 2026: Even before the opening ceremony of the Glasgow Commonwealth Games 2026 could begin, India suffered a massive setback with judoka Arun Kumar withdrawing from the competition after failing a dope test.

Kumar, who was scheduled to compete in the 73kg category, was declared ineligible by the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) before his match. His withdrawal reduces India’s athlete contingent from 125 to 124.

Why Was Arun Kumar Banned?

Judoka Arun Kumar was banned from the Commonwealth Games 2026 following an adverse analytical finding in an out-of-competition test conducted by the agency. The Indian Judoka tested positive for a banned anabolic steroid, prompting the authorities to ban the Indian judoka.

CWG 26: Did India Miss A Medal Prospect?

India definitely missed a potential medal prospect after Kumar faced a ban. The Indian judoka enjoyed a rapid rise through the junior and senior ranks. Arun honed his skills at the Inspire Institute of Sport and enjoyed a rapid rise on the international circuit. He clinched the junior title at the 2023 Asian Cup in Macau before adding another gold medal at the 2025 Asian Open in Taipei. He also secured a bronze at the Hong Kong Asian Open, while a seventh-place finish at the Tashkent Grand Slam earlier this year helped him earn his maiden berth in the Commonwealth Games squad.

His withdrawal is particularly surprising given the stringent anti-doping protocols implemented ahead of the Games. Indian athletes were subjected to two rounds of testing before departing for Glasgow, while those based overseas underwent coordinated testing through the anti-doping authorities in their respective training locations.

The heightened screening measures were introduced in response to a spate of recent doping violations, especially in weightlifting, where multiple Indian lifters returned positive tests before the Games. As a result, India’s weightlifting contingent for Glasgow was reduced from 16 athletes to 12.