Para athlete Tejas Nandakumar barred from CWG 2026 despite qualifying

Indian national record holder Tejas Nandakumar, 20, has been ruled out of the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow after his para sport classification did not meet eligibility requirements. The young athlete had already qualified for the Games, making his exclusion a significant blow. Nandakumar told Times of India that administrative delays cost him the opportunity despite months of international travel and considerable personal expense. He expressed devastation over the outcome and called for systemic reforms to protect future para athletes from facing similar situations.