‘India should withdrawfrom CWG’

New Delhi: India should withdraw from the Commonwealth Games (CWG) due to the “low level of competition” in the tournament, the president of the country’s Olympic body told AFP on Wednesday.

Indian Olympic Association president Narinder Batra’s comments come after the South Asian nation threatened to boycott the next edition of the multi-sport event in Birmingham in 2022 over shooting being scrapped from the programme.

“I don’t use the word boycott in sports. What I am trying to say is that India as a country, in sports, should withdraw out of Commonwealth totally,” Batra told AFP.

He said regardless of whether shooting is included in the final programme, India should end its association with the competition played among mostly former British colonies. “I feel there is not sufficient level of competition, leaving aside two or three sports. It doesn’t leave anyone anywhere with this low level of competition,” Batra added.