India’s medal prospects dealt huge blow as IOC drops capturing, hockey from 2026 Youth Olympics

Capturing, weightlifting and hockey have been named amongst 10 non-medal sports activities, which might be a part of the “engagement programme” within the YOG.

Within the 2018 Youth Video games in Buenos Aires, Argentina, India had gained 13 medals (3 gold, 9 silver and 1 bronze), out of which capturing had given 4 medals (2 gold and a pair of silver), whereas hockey’s share was 2 silver and weightlifting’s contribution was one gold.

Paris Olympics double-medallist star shooter Manu Bhaker had gained a gold within the women’ 10m air pistol and a silver in combined 10m air pistol.

In its assembly in Lausanne on December 3, the IOC government board has confirmed the occasions and athlete quotas for the 2026 Youth Olympic Video games (YOG) to be held from October 31 to November 13, 2026. The Youth Olympics are to be competed amongst athletes aged between 15 and 18.

“… it was determined to take care of the official involvement of all 35 Worldwide Federations (IFs) in Dakar 2026, with 25 sports activities that includes on the competitors programme and 10 to be a part of the engagement programme.

“Dakar 2026 will showcase one self-discipline from every of the 25 sports activities on the competitors programme. Moreover, Dakar 2026 will function an engagement programme that may showcase 10 sports activities,” the IOC mentioned on its web site.

The 25 sports activities through which medals might be given are athletics (observe and area), aquatics (swimming), archery, badminton, baseball (baseball 5), basketball (3×3), boxing, breaking, biking (street biking), equestrian (leaping), fencing, soccer (futsal), gymnastics (creative), handball (seaside handball), judo, rowing (coastal rowing), rugby (rugby sevens), crusing, skateboarding (avenue), desk tennis, taekwondo, triathlon, volleyball (seaside volleyball), wrestling (seaside wrestling), and wushu.

Within the 2018 YOG, Simran Kaur had gained a silver within the lady’s freestyle 43kg however the 2026 version can have solely seaside wrestling.

The ten non-medal sports activities which is able to function within the engagement programme are canoe-kayak, golf, hockey, karate, fashionable pentathlon, capturing, sport climbing, browsing, tennis and weightlifting.

“These sports activities won’t function within the competitors programme however might be promoted via interactive actions on web site and by way of digital platforms, emphasising their function as integral parts and an official a part of the YOG,” the IOC mentioned.

In complete, the Dakar YOG will function 151 occasions — down from the 241 for the 2018 Buenos Aires version — equally break up between women and men with 72 occasions for every, alongside seven mixed-gender occasions.

“For the primary time within the historical past of the Summer time YOG, full gender equality might be achieved – not solely within the general athlete quota but in addition throughout each sport, self-discipline and occasion,” the IOC mentioned.

The whole athlete quota for the Video games has been set at 2,700.

“This aligns with the IOC’s dedication to delivering a tailor-made and environment friendly programme whereas sustaining the elite nature of the competitors. It would permit the Video games to adapt to the native context of Dakar, but nonetheless guarantee a aggressive platform for younger athletes worldwide,” mentioned the IOC.

Initially scheduled to be held in 2022 from October 22 to November 9, the 2026 YOG — the fourth version of the Summer time Youth Video games — was delayed by 4 years in view of the operational and economical penalties of the postponement of the 2020 Tokyo Summer time Olympics to 2021 as a result of COVID-19 pandemic.

The 2026 YOG might be held throughout three host websites — Dakar, Diamniadio and Saly — within the Senegal capital.