Athletics Federation of India Sets Tough Standards for 2026 Commonwealth Games Qualification

**Result:** Not a match/event result — qualification-criteria announcement; no score to verify.

NEW DELHI — The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) has introduced demanding qualification standards for the 2026 Commonwealth Games, according to a report published by The News Mill on Wednesday. The criteria, drawn up for India's Glasgow-bound athletics contingent, are described as among the strictest the federation has set in a recent Games cycle.

The AFI said the revised marks are designed to ensure only athletes with realistic medal prospects are selected, lifting the threshold above previous qualification benchmarks. The federation added that the standards will apply across track and field events as India builds toward the Glasgow 2026 Games and the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic qualification window.

The move follows wider scrutiny of national selection pathways. Similar debates over "unrealistic" qualifying thresholds have surfaced in other Commonwealth athletics programmes earlier in the cycle, The News Mill noted. Neeraj Chopra has already been provisionally named in India's Commonwealth Games athletics squad, though the broader team remains subject to the new criteria.

The Global Perspective Rule: With Glasgow 2026 approaching, Commonwealth federations are tightening selection benchmarks — a trend that determines which athletes reach the global stage and shapes early medal projections.

**Sources** - https://thenewsmill.com

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