Birmingham 2022: India to compete at Commonwealth Games after shooting row

Sanjeev Rajput won shooting gold for India at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in 2018

India will compete at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games after fears its athletes could boycott the event when shooting was omitted from the schedule.

The announcement comes after Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) officials held talks with Indian representatives in New Delhi.

India was unhappy after shooting - a sport it traditionally performs well in - was dropped as a medal event.

Birmingham 2022 runs from 27 July to 7 August, replacing original host Durban.

"Following a useful and constructive CGF visit to India, we felt confident and reassured that the athletes and sports community of India places huge value and importance on the Commonwealth Games and Commonwealth Sport Movement," CGF president Dame Louise Martin said after talks during the federation's annual general meeting.

Martin added the CGF is "delighted" India will compete at the Games and confirmed the country "expressed an ambition" to host the event in 2026 or 2030.

India last hosted the multi-sport event in Delhi in 2010.

The omission of shooting, which has been included in every Games apart from one since 1966, was defended by Birmingham 2022 organisers despite protestations from India's Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju and thousands signing a Shooting Times petition to reinstate it.

Shooting supplied 16 of India's 66 medals at the 2018 Gold Coast Games, with the country finishing third in the medal table.

Meanwhile, England's shooters won 15 medals - including five golds - at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.